The Call of Life and Death
by ArcaneFire
Summary: Sesshomaru had died and left the Tenseiga to his half brother. Will Inu Yasha change, having the power of life in one hand, and the power of death in ther other?
1. Default Chapter

The Call of Life and Death Chapter 1: Unpleasant News  
  
Kagome was sitting in her normal spot at the foot of the God-Tree. Inu Yasha was sprawled out on his usual branch, about fifteen feet above Kagome's head. He was as close to being at peace as he could be, proximity to the woman below him had that effect.  
She was sitting on the ground with her legs crossed that the ankle, leaning back against the tree's trunk. Across her lap rested her math book, with a notebook lying open on the ground next to her. Glancing up from the book, she watched Inu Yasha for a moment, as he lay in the tree branches. How can he do that? She wondered to herself. He looks like he could spring at any moment in any direction, and yet, he also seems to be totally relaxed.  
She returned to working in her math book, and quadratic equations quickly pushed Inu Yasha from the focus of her thoughts. The half demon looked down when he heard the scratching of a pen on paper. He had to admit, to himself only, that Kagome's mother's idea was a good one.  
They had been having one of their normal arguments about her need to go to school vs. the need to find jewel fragments; her demanding more time for her school work, and him insisting that she really had no need for school, and that their quest took precedence over everything else. She had tried to win by sitting him, but he quickly put a stop to that by pinning her under him.  
This had stopped negotiations, in favor of a staring contest, the majority of which was glaring. It was about that time that Kagome's mother walked in and found the two teenagers laying one on top of the other on the floor, faces only centimeters apart.  
When Mrs. Higurashi cleared her throat the two sprang apart terrified and blushing furiously. Before either could explain, Mrs. Higurashi asked what the problem was. At this, both started to speak at once, and got progressively louder as they each tried to speak over the other.  
When she had heard enough, Mrs. Higurashi held up her hand and silenced the two angry teens. She then suggested that since jewel shards were getting harder to find, that Kagome could go to school on a more regular basis. Before Inu Yasha could object, she continued to say that Kagome could cross through the well after school each day, and check in with Inu Yasha about any rumors of jewel shards.  
"Besides dear," said Mrs. Higurashi to her daughter, "you're always saying how peaceful it is there. Perhaps you could do your homework while you're there." Both Kagome and Inu Yasha agreed to the plan reluctantly.  
Today Kagome had arrived and been greeted by Inu Yasha alone. He explained that Miroku and Sango were off checking up on a rumor of a jewel shard, and that Shippo had been sent along as a chaperone. The thought of Shippo trying to keep the perverted monk from trying anything with Sango amused Kagome to the point where she giggled out loud. Raising one eyebrow, the hanyou continued, "They'll be sending Shippo back to get us when they have confirmed the rumor, and we're to follow as soon as possible after that."  
"But I have a huge math test coming up!" she argued.  
"Feh, like any of that math stuff is really needed. I don't know anything beyond multiplication, and look at me, I'm just fine."  
"Well, some of us actually do need it," though she couldn't really think of anything useful she had learned in math that year. They argued a little more, but he gave in rather easily. It seemed to her that he was only arguing for show, and that he didn't mind the extra day that they would have to wait. She wondered about that as they walked from the well to the God-Tree, but that wonder was quickly replace by math when they settled in at the tree.  
The sun was starting to set, so Inu Yasha dropped down from the tree and carried Kagome's book bag for her as the walked toward Kaede's hut for the evening meal. The trip was made in near total silence, which struck Kagome as a bit odd. Inu Yasha was normally talking about how they had to put the jewel back together, and how that ment (meant?) that Kagome would need to spend more time looking, and less in school. She normally ignored his obvious campaigning.  
Stopping suddenly, Inu Yasha scented the air. Kagome became worried as a low growl escaped his throat.  
"What's the matter Inu Yasha?" she inquired.  
"Shhhh," he hissed. "It's Jaken."  
"Jaken?!" she started to cry, only to be cut off halfway through by Inu Yasha's hand covering her mouth.  
"Yes," he whispered in her ear. "But I don't smell Sessomaru, though he is undoubtedly out there somewhere. Get on my back; I would rather surprise him then the other way around."  
He removed his hand when she nodded her head. As silently as she could, she took her bag, and put it on her back, then climbed onto his back. Once she was securely settled on his back, he took off into the tree tops, adrenaline from the thought of battle quickening his pace. He took them in a broad arc around the source of Jaken's scent. Once he had assured himself that the small Imp was in fact alone, he spiraled in and dropped down right behind his brother's vassal.  
Hearing a quiet thump behind him, Jaken swallowed nervously and turned to face the angry hanyou and his human companion. They stood there staring at each other silently for quite a while.  
"Say," said Kagome shattering the silence. "That doesn't look like the normal staff Jaken carries. Actually, it looks like a sword."  
Jaken silently stared at Kagome until Inu Yasha spoke. "That's not just any sword, that's Tenseiga."  
"Indeed, Lord Inu Yasha," the strange little demon replied. It is the Tenseiga."  
"There are only two reasons that I can think for you to have my brother's sword. The first is that this is a trap, and that Sessomaru will attack any moment now. The second is that you, being the little sneak that you are, stole it from my brother and are giving it to me in hopes of changing sides." The second option earned Inu Yasha a dark look from the Imp.  
"There is actually a third option that you have forgotten, Lord Inu Yasha. I come to you to inform you of the High Lord Sessomaru death; and to deliver to you his final will. It was his wish for you to have this sword. Of course, because you are his next-of-kin, everything that was his, is now yours," the small demon concluded formally.  
Dropping Kagome off his back, Inu Yasha approached Jaken and dropped to one knee. Jaken held Tenseiga in both hands, and offered it to Inu Yasha. He took the blade by the middle of the scabbard and replied just as formally, "I have heard my brother's will, and I accept this blade. However, I request and require that you, his former vassal, please return to his holdings, and to split them fairly among his loyal vassals."  
"I hear and I obey, Lord Inu Yasha. It will be as you say," With that, Jaken started to leave, heading west.  
"If you would be so kind, Jaken," Inu Yasha called after him. "I would know the cause of my brother's death."  
"He died in battle."  
"Then why am I receiving this sword? Surely the victor would have claimed it."  
"Not that kind of battle, my lord. It was the demon sword, the blade was beginning to drive him mad so using the last of his control he forced out the evil, and fought it. Unfortunately, he proved not to be strong enough to win."  
Kagome gasped, and Inu Yasha bowed his head and muttered a prayer for his brother's soul. He may not have liked his brother, but he was still family. Saying nothing further, Jaken continued on his long trip back to the western lands. 


	2. Strange Actions and Stranger Reactions

Author's note: I do not own Inu Yasha, or any of the other characters, no matter how much I wish I did. Please do not sue me, because I am very poor, and this work of fiction is only for the enjoyment and entertainment of the readers. Also, thank you to my beta readers, you guys find my errors and save me lots of editing time. Please send any comments and/or reviews to: ArcainFire@yahoo.com.  
  
The Call of Life and Death Chapter 2: Strange Actions and Stranger Reactions  
  
The following day Kagome was greeted by Inu Yasha as was normal. Kagome was too excited to notice that he seemed far away and distracted.  
"Guess what, Inu Yasha," she prompted him as soon as he had pulled her out of the well. "I aced my math test!"  
"Good. That means that we can leave without delay," he replied calmly.  
"Oh, okay. Let me go get my other bag, the one with the supplies I'll need for the trip. How long do you think we'll be gone for this time?"  
"Most likely less then a month."  
"A month?!" she exclaimed.  
"I said less then a month," he corrected her. At her glare he continued, "Oh alright. It will take us about a day and a half to get there, plus the time that it takes us to actually find the jewel shard, and the time to get back. Is that more helpful?"  
"Yes, thanks, I'll be right back." Kagome jumped back into the well and crossed back to her own time. She returned less then twenty minutes later carrying her familiar, overstuffed yellow bag. "Oh, I meant to ask earlier, where's Shippo?"  
"He's back at Kaede's hut, waiting for us to get back," Inu Yasha replied, turning to start the walk to the village. Kagome quickly caught up to the half demon. She talked at her companion for the first part of the trip until she caught onto the somber mood.  
When they arrived at Kaede's hut, she found the kitsune wrapped in bandages, and lying close to the fire, sleeping soundly.  
"What happened?" she demanded, turning to Inu Yasha.  
"Don't look at me, I didn't do it," he defended himself.  
"He was attacked on his trip back," Kaede interjected, saving the hanyou. "He was injured, and needs rest. Too much excitement might cause him to injure himself further. It would probably be best if you didn't wake him before leaving. Inu Yasha already knows where you two need to go."  
"But I-," Kagome started to object. "Yes, you are probably right. Tell him that I hope he feels better soon." Outside the hut, she turned to Inu Yasha and said, "Well, we have a ways to go, so let's get going."  
"It'll take to long if you ride your bicycle," the foreign word finally sounding normal as he said it. "Just leave it where it is in the hut, it'll be safe there. We need to move fast, and we move faster if you ride on my back."  
She was too shocked to say anything. Inu Yasha normally hates when he has to carry me. She thought to herself. Why would he be willing to carry me now, when we could just ride on the back of my bike? Granted we do move faster when I ride on his back, but. Her thoughts were interrupted by Inu Yasha.  
"Are you getting on? Or is there some way that we can travel faster by standing here and wishing we were there?" he asked acidly.  
Sighing, she thought to herself, Same old Inu Yasha. Shouldering her pack, she climbed onto his back. With Kagome clinging to his back, he took off down the path at an easy lope that was easily twice as fast as Kagome rode her bike. She marveled at his power, and how he could move so quickly for so long.  
Inu Yasha hasn't said much of anything to me since yesterday. I hope that he's okay, the girl from the future thought to herself.  
They stopped for the night in a small clearing that would hide their camp and fire while still allowing Inu Yasha to see anyone coming. Looking through her bag, Kagome quickly found the camp stove and propane fuel tank for it. She deftly set it up, and in no time flat they were quietly enjoying their instant ramen.  
"Inu Yasha?" she asked, worry evident in her voice.  
"What?" he grunted between mouthfuls of noodles.  
"What's wrong, Inu Yasha?" a look of concern coming over her face.  
"What do you mean, what's wrong?" he replied, looking rather confused.  
"Well, it's just that you've been really quiet since last night, and you have been really nice to me. Not like you normally are."  
"Feh. Can't a guy be nice once in a while without people freaking out, wench?"  
"I was just worried about-," she tried to say.  
"I'm fine!" he shouted cutting her off. "No leave me alone, bitch!"  
"SIT!" she yelled as loudly as she could at the vexing half demon. As soon as the spell wore off, he took to the trees to find a place where he could think, preferably outside of 'sitting' range.  
Finding an acceptable tree downwind of the campsite, he scented the air and could detect no immediate threats. Well, other then Kagome being pissed at him that is. Pushing thoughts of her from his mind, he pulled something out of his clothing.  
Grasping the handle, he drew Tenseiga from its sheath. Holding it in front of him, he tested the weight, finding that it was almost as heavy as the Tetsusaiga was fully transformed. Odd, I always thought that the sword of life would be lighter then that of death. Drawing Tetsusaiga in the other hand, he noticed that the blades began to glow. Before he could really think about what was happening with the two swords, a shrill scream shattered his thoughts, and the quiet of the night.  
Jumping to his feet, he quickly re-sheathed both swords and scented the air again. While he had been lost in thought a demon had crept up and surprised Kagome. He was moving before his thoughts fully registered.  
He flew into the clearing, grabbing Kagome by the waist, and was back out into the trees before the attacker could react. Kagome made a gasping sound when the air got knocked out of her by Inu Yasha grabbing her. Coming to rest in the tree he had occupied before, he put Kagome down.  
"What happened? Whisper, I don't know how good that thing's hearing is," he instructed her.  
"I was getting ready to crawl into my sleeping bag and go to sleep when a rather large demon leapt out of the tree line at me. I was really annoyed at you for saying what you did, then running away that I didn't notice its approach," she informed him, once she had caught her breath.  
"Stay here. I'll be right back," he instructed her, disappearing into the darkness. Kagome remained on the branch that she had been dropped on to await Inu Yasha's return.  
After standing there for a few moments without hearing or seeing anything happen, she began to wonder what her protector was going to do. Then, just as she was about to get down out of the tree, the night air was cracked with the cries of fighting; After a few that sounded much like injured animals, everything returned to silence.  
Shutting her eyes, she strained to hear anything she could. Unfortunately, her heart was pounding far too loudly in her own ears for her to be able to hear anything else. She was concentrating so hard on trying to hear what was going on, that she did not notice when Inu Yasha landed behind her on the tree.  
Well, she didn't notice until he placed a hand on her shoulder. She spun and stretched out her hand, at the unexpected contact, causing a large red handprint to form on Inu Yasha's face.  
"Gods woman, what the hell is wrong with you?" he demanded angrily.  
"Sorry," she apologized. "You just startled me."  
"Feh, whatever, I drove it off for now and grabbed your crap. We're going to have to keep moving tonight though. Now take your stuff and get on my back."  
Doing as he instructed, Kagome took her bag from his hand and pulled it onto her back. As she climbed onto his back she felt something warm and slick on his shoulder. Bringing the hand closer to her face, she could smell what it was.  
"You're bleeding!" she exclaimed in surprise.  
"Really? I hadn't noticed," he replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Forget about it and climb on."  
"But you're hurt; we need to tend the wounds."  
Turning to face the young Miko, he looked her straight in the eyes and said, "We don't have time. I drove it off for now, but it will probably be back with some friends real soon. And I don't know about you, but I don't want to be here when it does. Now get on my back and shut up!"  
Frightened by the intensity burning in his golden eyes, she quietly and quickly got onto his back. No sooner had she gotten settled, then he took off into the night.  
They had been traveling for close to an hour when he felt Kagome start to slip from his back. She had been stifling yawns for the last ten minutes, and he could tell that she really needed to rest soon. Stopping in a particularly tall tree, he almost lost his footing and very nearly fell out of the tree. He shook his head to clear the spots from his vision and the fog from his brain.  
Standing there, he could feel the blood seeping out of the wound in his shoulder that should have closed by now. Looking around, he could see that they were close to the edge of the forest, and that not far away was a lone tree growing from the top of a hill.  
Dropping to the ground, he made his way carefully to the tree and climbed as high as he could without using his hands. They were busy holding the now sleeping Kagome to his back. Pausing a moment, he concentrated as hard as he could on closing the wounds in his shoulder.  
When he was sure that the bleeding had stopped, he gently placed the sleeping girl on the branch with her back to the trunk. Removing the bag from her back, he hung it from a nearby branch. Looking back at Kagome's sleeping form he could see that she was shifting her weight around, trying to find a comfortable spot, and would fall out of the tree if left unattended.  
Sighing to himself he picked her up and sat down where she had been. Leaning against the tree's trunk, he held her in his lap, her back resting against his chest. He shut his eyes, and held Kagome still in his lap by wrapping his arms around her. Before the oblivion of sleep could claim him, he felt Kagome snuggle up against his chest, and murmur his name quietly in her sleep. Finally relaxed, he let exhaustion take him.  
Kagome woke to the sound of birds chirping happily in the late morning light. She felt something warm wrapped around her, and her memories of the night before were completely gone. Waking slowly, she opened her eyes to find two golden orbs looking deeply into her own from but a few centimeters away.  
She screamed in surprise, and before the realization of who it was came to her, she pushed him off of her and out of the tree. When she did realize who it was, she sat on the branch, looking at him with her hands covering her mouth.  
Being who he was, Inu Yasha controlled his fall, and landed on his back, rather then on his head. As soon as he had regained his feet, he leapt back up to the branch that Kagome was sitting on, still in mild shock.  
"What the hell was that for?" he demanded angrily.  
"Sorry," she replied in a very quiet voice.  
"Feh, whatever. Just get your stuff, we overslept and need to make up some time."  
"How's your shoulder?" she asked, retrieving her bag from where Inu Yasha had hung it the night before.  
"It's fine, now lets move!"  
"Just let me check to make sure that everything is here."  
Rolling his eyes at the delay, Inu Yasha replied, "Gods woman, let's just go."  
"Um, Inu Yasha."  
"What is it now?"  
"It, uh, it looks like whatever it was last night found the shards in my bag." the girl from the future informed the angry hanyou.  
"WHAT!"  
"The jewel shards are not in my bag."  
"Can't you hold onto anything without losing it?"  
"Hey," she said defensively, "If you hadn't run off like that last night, it wouldn't have been a problem!"  
"Well, if you hadn't of freaked out at me, and said the word, I wouldn't have run off," he shouted, matching her volume.  
"I wouldn't have yelled if you hadn't of been yelling at me and acting so weird." With that she pushed his shoulder, and felt that the cloth was warm and wet. Pulling her hand away, she could see that it was covered in fresh blood from the wound that hand reopened when he fell. "Your shoulder," she gasped.  
"Forget it, it's fine."  
"We'll see about that, let me see how bad it is," she demanded, digging the first aid kit out of her bag.  
"I said it was fine. Now forget about it!"  
"Don't make me use the 'S' word, because I'll do it and that will not help your wound."  
Muttering under his breath about people worrying about things that weren't their concern, and wasting time, he bared the injured shoulder. There was an even ring of punctures that formed a perfect half circle on both his chest and back. The kind of thing that screamed bite wound.  
"What happened, Inu Yasha?"  
"I got bitten by that thing last night, what does it look like happened?" was his curt reply.  
"Well, you don't have to be nasty about it! I was just wondering." She dug through the first aid kit until she found some antiseptic, gauze, and adhesive tape. Using the water from her canteen, she flushed out the wound to remove any dirt. Then she dried it and applied the antiseptic, which caused Inu Yasha to wince slightly and mutter. Once she was sure it was clean, she covered the punctures with the gauze, taping it down. Then she used an ace bandage to cover the gauze and hold it all in place. "There you go, good as new."  
Inu Yasha grumbled something under his breath.  
"What was that, Inu Yasha?"  
"I said, 'thanks,'" her grunted, much to Kagome's amusement and delight.  
"It was no problem, Inu Yasha. I'm always happy to help a friend. I just have one question."  
"Yeah?" he replied suspiciously.  
"Why aren't you healing like normal?" concern leaking into her voice.  
"I don't know. Ever since I got this sword.." He trailed off looking rather pensively off into the distance.  
"Ever since you got what?"  
"Huh? Feh, forget about it."  
"You mean the Tenseiga, don't you? Do you have it with you?"  
"Yeah, I mean, what else am I going to do with it? I don't exactly have a place to store things, and this was a gift from my brother. Can we leave now, or do you want to play twenty questions instead?"  
"What about the Jewel shards?"  
"Can you sense them anywhere nearby? Because the last time I smelled whatever that was, it was leaving, and fast. I don't think I could catch up to it until it reached its lair; besides Miroku and Sango would probably be helpful in taking it down."  
For the second time in as many minutes, Inu Yasha totally surprised her. Reaching out, she grabbed the sides of his head and pulled it toward hers. Scowling she examined his now worried face closely.  
"What are you doing Kagome?"  
"Who are you and what have you done with Inu Yasha?" she demanded.  
"What?!"  
  
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A/N: Thanks for reading, I should have chapter three typed up soon, and off to the beta readers. 


	3. A Fateful Meeting

The Call of Life and Death Chapter 3: A Fateful Meeting  
Kagome and Inu Yasha arrived in the village that Miroku and Sango were staying in late that day. They found the inn where Shippo had told them they were staying just as the sun started to sink below the tree line, causing the sky to look as though it had caught fire.  
Inside, the inn looked much as the same as all the other inns that they had stayed at. Sango was brooding into a small cup of Sake, and Miroku was nowhere in sight. Glancing up at the new arrivals, Sango's face lit up in a brilliant smile as she saw Kagome approaching.  
"Oh thanks the gods you are here!" she exclaimed, hugging the surprised Kagome tightly. "I don't think I could have lasted another day alone with that pervert."  
"What did he do now?" Kagome demanded, already assuming the worst.  
Clearing his throat, Inu Yasha got both the girls attention before Sango could launch into the monk's sins. "Speaking of Miroku, where is he? We have much to discuss and he should be here for it."  
Raising an eyebrow at Inu Yasha's abnormal thoughtfulness, Sango replied bitterly, "In the village somewhere. Just follow the line of giggling women."  
Nodding his head, Inu Yasha stepped back out side and set out in search of the perverted monk. Sighing to himself, Inu Yasha scented the air, and found Miroku's scent mixed with that of many different women. Shaking his head, he walked over to where the scents were emanating.  
The quiet of the village was broken by the peal of female laughter. He could hear Miroku say something, and more laughter from the females, Miroku's voice joining them. As he approached, Inu Yasha could see a large group of women gathered around a sitting man who was dressed in the purple and black robes of a Buddhist monk. The women shied away from the hanyou as he passed them.  
Miroku was to busy being witty and suggestive to notice that something was different, until Inu Yasha placed a hand on the monk's shoulder. Wheeling in surprise, Miroku swung is staff at Inu Yasha's head. Catching it with his free hand, the intended victim pulled the offending weapon out of the monk's hand.  
"If you don't mind Miroku, we need you to get back to the inn," Inu Yasha informed him curtly.  
"Ahh, Inu Yasha, I didn't hear you coming," he replied. Smiling, he turned to address the crowd of women, "Don't be frightened ladies, Inu Yasha is quite harmless."  
"Quite harmless! I'll show you harmless!" Inu Yasha yelled, grabbing the handle of the Tetsusaiga.  
"Easy there, Inu Yasha, no need for that," he assured Inu Yasha. "He's really just a big push over, ladies.  
"The inn?" Inu Yasha prompted Miroku.  
"Yes, of course. I'm sorry, ladies, but I must take my leave of you. I may return after though," he assured them, winking.  
The wink caused many sighs and giggles among the village women. Shaking his head, Inu Yasha pulled the waving monk behind him toward the inn. About half way there, Miroku stopped dead and addressed the hanyou.  
"Why do you have a second sword, Inu Yasha?"  
"It's the Tenseiga," he grunted.  
"The Ten-what are you doing with the Tenseiga?!"  
"That is one of the many thing we have to discuss, now are you coming?"  
  
As Inu Yasha left, Kagome took Sango's hand, "Come on, lets go up to the room, I would like to sit down, and it will be more private there."  
Nodding in agreement, the demon exterminator led Kagome up to the room she had been sharing with Miroku. The room was very simple and rather small.  
"Gee, I was expecting something a little larger," Kagome said, looking around the room in a perplexed manner.  
"Yeah, we decided that Miroku shouldn't claim the dark presence thing this time, being as how we didn't know who long we would be staying for. This was the best the innkeeper could give a wandering monk and a demon exterminator for the money we had. I don't know if he'll let Inu Yasha stay though."  
"That's okay, we can sleep under the stars a few more nights," the young girl replied wistfully.  
"You mean HE can sleep under the start a few more nights," Sango corrected her, emphasizing the pronoun.  
"Huh? No, I mean we. It would be rather rude to expect him to sleep outside all by himself after all."  
"You mean that I would have to, to, uh, stay with that monk alone? Longer?!"  
"Whoa, what happened Sango? I've never seen you this worried before."  
"Well, um, last night I, uh." she trailed off, looking anywhere in the room but at Kagome's face.  
"Last night you what?" Kagome demanded.  
"I-almost-agreed-to-bear-him-a-son!" Sango blurted out.  
"What?!"  
"Yeah, I know. He's just been so sweet and considerate to me. He even went two whole days without groping my ass."  
"Sango, this is Miroku we're talking about."  
"Hey, he can be a nice guy when he wants to be!" Sango shouted defensively. Realizing what she had just said, and seeing the look on Kagome's face, she covered her mouth with both hands. "What am I saying?"  
"What's with people today?" Kagome wondered out loud.  
"What do you mean by that?"  
"Huh? Oh, Inu Yasha was acting oddly today he was polite and thanked me for something with out being prompted."  
"Quickly," Sango shouted jumping to her feet. "We have to find him and the monk, and fast!"  
"Wha-why?" Kagome asked, confusion written all over her face.  
"So that Miroku can perform the exorcism of course."  
Kagome started to laugh so hard she fell over, her eyes tearing.  
"I really don't see what's so funny Kagome. Inu Yasha might be in real trouble."  
"It's just that you think Inu Yasha has been possessed because he's acting in a civilized manner," she managed to get out between laughing fits. Calming herself, Kagome managed to stop laughing and wipe the tears from her eyes. "We should go find them anyway. Inu Yasha wasn't kidding when he said that we had a lot to discuss."  
The two women left the room and headed out in search of the monk and hanyou. They found them sitting at a table just outside of the inn.  
"I was just about to come and get you," Miroku explained, standing to greet the women.  
"That's okay, we came down on our own," Kagome replied smiling warmly at him, and sitting in the seat next to Inu Yasha. She gave Sango an expectant look, as she gestured for her to sit down; Miroku quickly sat next to her.  
Kagome smiled at Inu Yasha, who gave her a strange look and snorted through his nose. Sango watched Miroku suspiciously out of the corner of her eye, every wary for one of his wandering hands. He smiled reassuringly at her, and groped her ass as soon as she wasn't looking. Bringing her hand back she slapped him across the face, knocking him from his seat.  
"You know Miroku, you should watch yourself," advised Kagome. "One of these days she's going to have a sharp object in her hand, and reflexively slap you."  
"Ahh," said Miroku as he climbed back into his seat. "But I assure you that it will be well worth it." The rest of the group sighed collectively.  
"Now, if we're done discussing the art of groping Sango's ass," said Inu Yasha sarcastically, "Why don't we get down to the business at hand?"  
"Okay, why don't we start with how you can to have possession of the Tenseiga?" offered Miroku.  
"I guess that's as good of a place to start as any. A couple of days ago, as Kagome and I were walking from the well, Jaken approached us. He delivered to me the news of my half brother's demise, and to carry out Sessomaru's final will," the hanyou explained.  
"Does this mean that you are now the lord of the western lands?" Sango interrupted excitedly.  
"If you would all shut up for a minute, and let me finish telling the story without interruptions, then you would already know." Glaring at Miroku and Sango, he continued, "As his next-of-kin, all his lands and possessions were mine. Jaken told us that Sessomaru had specifically mentioned that the Tenseiga should go to me. I then instructed my half brother's former vassal to divide the holdings of the western lands and the estates there in as he saw fit." Holding up his hand to forestall any interruptions, he continued, "I don't like Jaken, however, he was extremely loyal to my brother and I feel that he can be trusted with this task. I have no use for great holdings or lots of land. Besides, I couldn't exactly go hunting Shikon shards and be the lord of the Western Lands, now could I?"  
"Now, moving on to more pressing matters; Kagome was attacked by a very strange demon last night. I wasn't there when it attacked, but I was able to save her and managed to drive it off. However, when it left it took the shards that we had already collected. It was moving with amazing speed, and I figured that I wouldn't be able to catch up to it until it stopped somewhere. We now need to recollect those shards, and the one that you have found here."  
As he fell silent, Inu Yasha realized that the three humans were staring at him in wonder and amazement. "What are you all staring at?"  
"Since when has." sputtered Miroku.  
"It's just that.." Sango started.  
"I think that what they mean is that we've never head you speak at such length, and that you really thought everything out," explained Kagome, regaining her composure first.  
"Hey!" exclaimed Inu Yasha.  
"Relax, you just are more the kind of guy who takes things as they come and just react to the situation as it changes, rather then a whole lot of planning before hand. We're complimenting you," she finished, winking at the flustered half demon.  
"Yeah? Well you all have a strange way of showing it," he grunted.  
"So, how do you suggest we proceed, Inu Yasha?" Miroku asked.  
"I think that wherever that thing was going, is its home, and probably not the best place to fight it. We should collect the shard here, and then try to figure out some way to meet it on ground that is either neutral, or in our favor."  
"That sounds like a very good idea Inu Yasha," the monk replied, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Sango continued to stare at the hanyou, and muttered something about needing an exorcism under her breath.  
Chuckling too herself Kagome interjected, "Well it's too late to go after the shard today, so why don't we eat and settle for the night?"  
"That's the best idea I've heard yet. Only one problem," Sango reminded them, "The innkeeper here hates demons, and won't let Inu Yasha stay under his roof. Kagome, you are more then welcome to stay with us though." As she said this, Sango's eyes pleaded with Kagome to stay at the inn.  
Kagome inhaled as though to answer, then stopped as something occrued to her. Tonight is the night of the new moon. Inu Yasha will be vulnerable tonight. Perhaps I should mention this, maybe if the innkeeper saw that he was human, then perhaps he would let Inu Yasha stay. No, he's already seen Inu Yasha as a demon, and would just think that it was some kind of trick.  
Looking into Inu Yasha's eyes, she replied, "Actually, I think that I'll keep Inu Yasha company tonight."  
"Are you sure?" Sango half asked half pleaded.  
Slipping is arm around Sango's waist, Miroku said, "Let them be Sango. They obviously want some more time alone together." This earned him another slap that sent him to the ground from Sango, a swift kick from Kagome, and a dangerous look and warning growl from Inu Yasha.  
As the monk climbed back into his seat, again, Inu Yasha forestalled any further argument on the topic, "Feh, let's just eat." As he spoke, he glanced nervously at the quickly sinking sun.  
When they had finished eating, Kagome assured Sango a few hundred more times that she was really more then happy to spend another night out in the open, and that Sango would be fine for one more night. Once she had separated herself from the demon exterminator, the young woman from the future went to the edge of town where the soon to be human hanyou waited for her.  
"Come on, we have to hurry, I trust you know why. I remember seeing a tree not too far outside of town that looked like it would suit our needs quite well," he said as she approached.  
Smiling at his back as he turned toward the woods, she replied, "Okay."  
It didn't take long to reach the tree, where Inu Yasha picked Kagome up bridal style, and jumped from branch to branch until he reached the one that they could both be comfortable on. She noticed that he winced slightly every time they landed, and when he put here down.  
"Let's take a look at that shoulder before we lose the light completely."  
"It's fine, you don't need to worry about me."  
"Don't be difficult, I don't want to have to use the word on you again, but if it's the only way that you'll let me check it, then I will." Grumbling, he bared the injured shoulder and allowed her to change the bandages and inspect the wounds.  
"Well," she said after she had changed the gauze and replaced the ace bandage, "They look like they are doing much better then this morning, but they still aren't as healed as they should be."  
"Feh, they'll be fine," he replied in a tone of dismissal, tossing his head as he spoke. It was as he tossed his head that the failing sun finally sank below the horizon, and the silver haired and golden eyed demon changed into a human. "Feh, human again."  
"I've been working on using my Miko powers. I think that I've gotten the hang of a new spell that will erect a barrier to protect us. It keeps both humans and demons from being able to enter."  
"Well, why don't you give it a try?" her companion replied in a mild and encouraging voice.  
Smiling and shaking her head at the difference between normal Inu Yasha and human Inu Yasha, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Holding her hands in her lap, the left resting palm up in the palm of the right, with the thumbs touching, she relaxed her body, and concentrated on her spell. When she was sure as she could be that it was correctly formed and in place, she opened her eyes.  
"There, I think I got it. But why don't you stick Tetsusaiga into the trunk, just to make sure we're safe?"  
Inu Yasha did as she suggested, and taking her backpack he hung it on a close branch. Then he sat with is back against the trunk and shut his eyes in preparation for sleep. His eyes shot open as he felt a warm body snuggling up against his chest. He smiled as Kagome got herself into a comfortable position.  
"Kagome?"  
"Hmm?" was her sleepy reply.  
"Thanks for staying with me."  
"Yeah, no problem."  
They didn't speak again; they just enjoyed the closeness as they waited for sleep. Both slept peacefully, Inu Yasha was totally relaxed, a way that he had not felt since his childhood. He smiled and moved his arms around Kagome as she shifted in her sleep. 


	4. Chapter 4: A Slight of Mind, and Strange...

A/N: Standard disclaimer, I don't own Inu Yasha, blah blah, blah, blah. Sorry this took so long to get out, although I think that chapter 5 will take longer. Enjoy, and please review. The Call of Life and Death Chapter 4: A slight of mind, and strange goings on.  
  
The Tetsusaiga rang in Inu Yasha's hands, as he deflected a mighty blow from the jewel-empowered demon. Grunting, he slashed at the beast, forcing it back. There wasn't enough room for him to even try the wind scar, besides; this monster was far too quick for that.  
Sango circled around opposite Inu Yasha, forcing the beast to have one at its back for it to face the other. She held in her katana in her hands, as Hiraikotsu had been lost into the tree line some time ago. Above them, Kagome sat astride Kirara looking for a shot. Miroku sat behind her, to help protect her just in case. His wind tunnel was useless for this battle, they needed to collect the shard, not have it lost forever.  
That should be me protecting her! The half demon thought furiously.  
Sensing his momentary distraction, the demon leapt at Inu Yasha, knocking Tetsusaiga from his hands. Inu Yasha was able to roll away from the blow, and managed to avoid injury.  
"What are you going to do now that your big sword is gone, boy?" mocked the demon, laughing.  
Letting out a deep snarl, Inu Yasha closed on the demon rapidly. "Iron Reaver (I don't think there is a comma in the name of this attack, but I may be wrong) Soul Stealer!" as he moved, he clawed across the demon's torso, knocking it to the ground. Landing on his enemy's chest, Inu Yasha leaned close to its face. His eyes flashed dangerously as he whispered, "I've always worked better with my hands!"  
Bringing his right hand back, he swept it across the beast's neck, removing its head from the rest of the body. Standing from the corpse, Inu Yasha retrieved his sword, and re-sheathed it. As the hand guard clicked against the sheath, he fell to his knees, in obvious pain. Clutching his head, he rocked forward so his head rested on the ground.  
"Inu Yasha!" Kagome cried out as Kirara landed next to the fallen hanyou.  
"Get, get away from me, Kagome!" he warned through clenched teeth.  
"Hold, Kagome," urged Miroku, grabbing her arm. "Look at his eyes!"  
She gasped as she noticed his eyes changing from normal, to solid black, to solid red, and back. "What's happening to you Inu Yasha?"  
Squeezing his eyes shut, Inu Yasha slammed both fists into the ground. Kagome broke free of the monk's grasp and rushed to her comrade's side.  
"What's happening to you Inu Yasha?" she repeated, reaching her hand out to let it rest on his shoulder. At her touch, he let out an angry hiss and collapsed the rest of the way to the ground, Kagome passing out atop him.  
Sango returned from retrieving Hiraikotsu to find Miroku standing above their friend's unconscious and prone forms, looking thoughtfully at them. "What happened to them?" she asked.  
"Huh?" asked the monk, his thoughts broken. "You mean you didn't see?"  
"No, as soon as Inu Yasha had taken the thing's head off, I went to get Hiraikotsu," she replied.  
"Well, I'm not sure. I've never seen Inu Yasha fight so fearsomely or as brutally as he did when he lost Tetsusaiga. As soon as the demon was dead, he went and got his sword. As soon as he had it sheathed, he fell to the ground in pain, his eyes flashing strangely. Almost like when he's in his full-demon-like state. But when Kagome rushed over and touched his shoulder, both of them passed out."  
"Wonderful. Well, you load them up on Kirara, I'm going to get the jewel shard out of its head," she instructed, gesturing at their fallen foe. "When we get them back to the inn, you're going to have to distract the innkeeper while I sneak Inu Yasha in through the back."  
"Hmmm, sounds like a plan," he agreed.  
  
Back at the inn, Miroku pulled the innkeeper aside and distracted the man with tales of a dark ominous cloud hanging over the building. The innkeeper gave him a suspicious look even when the monk assured the man that it would be his pleasure to put up wards against the dark cloud. It wasn't until Miroku added that it would be free of charge did the man's face change, into a broad grin. At this point, Sango was making her second trip up to the room, this time carrying Kagome up the stairs.  
"What's wrong with that girl?" the innkeeper asked, suspicion creeping back into his voice.  
"Her? Oh, um, she's, uh, one of my followers. She took in a little too much sun today is all," Miroku lied, smiling in a reassuring manner.  
"Oh, then why is she dressed so strangely?"  
"She's, uh, a bit eccentric, if you know what I mean."  
"Just so long as she's okay and not a danger to the other guests."  
"She's harmless. I give you my word that she'll be no trouble what so ever."  
Having assured the innkeeper, Miroku mounted the steps, and quickly made his way to the room he was sharing with Sango. His roommate was leading against the far wall, under the room's window, catching her breath. Inu Yasha and Kagome lay next to one another on Miroku and Sango's sleeping mats.  
"I-huff-don't know-puff-what he's-huff, huff-have been eating, but he weighs a ton!" Sango gasped out, giving Inu Yasha a light kick to the ribs.  
"How are they doing?" the monk inquired.  
"No change since they first collapsed," the demon slayer answered, having caught her breath.  
"I wonder what could have happened to them," Miroku wondered aloud.  
"If I may offer a theory," said a tiny voice from Miroku's shoulder.  
"Myoga? Is that you?" asked Sango, looking around for the flea demon.  
"Why, yes it is," he answered.  
"What are you doing here?" Miroku asked his friend's cowardly vassal.  
"Well, when I head of Lord Inu Yasha's brother's demise, and what had been left to him, I sought out Toto-sai. I was wondering if there would be any negative side effects of my Lord carrying both blades. When I got to his dwelling, he was not at home, and the natives seemed less then happy to see me. So, I came in search of Lord Inu Yasha."  
"You mean, you ran away," corrected Miroku.  
"Well, what do you think is wrong with him?" demanded Sango.  
"First, would one of you kindly tell me what transpired to leave Lord Inu Yasha and Lady Kagome in such a state?" the flea requested. Miroku quickly informed Myoga of the day's events. "I see, well then it would seem that their comas are linked. If we bring one out, then the other should follow. Sango, please take the Tenseiga from Inu Yasha."  
Sango looked at Miroku for help, but he only shrugged. Standing, she walked over and untied the cord that held Tenseiga to Inu Yasha's body. As she pulled it from him, he began to stir. His eyes shot open as soon as the sword had been totally removed.  
He grabbed Sango's wrist and took a breath when Myoga's voice stopped what he had been about to angrily say to Sango. "I wouldn't suggest that milord."  
"Myoga? What the hell are you doing here? Wait, where is here? What happened to Kagome?!" he reached out his hand toward her arm. Her eyes fluttered open at his touch.  
"Inu-Inu Yasha?" she asked, sitting up. "Are you okay?" The concern for him was clear in her voice.  
"I'm fine, are you okay?'  
"Yeah, what are we doing back at the inn?"  
"If you'll both be quiet for one moment, then I'll be more then happy to answer all of your questions!" exclaimed the excited and irritated flea.  
Picking his small vassal up off Miroku's shoulder, Inu Yasha held him between his thumb and middle finger. "Well?" he prompted the flea. The frightened insect explained everything that had happened, with Sango and Miroku filling in the details of the battle.  
"Feh, give me my sword back," he said, dismissing Myoga's warnings. Reaching out, he snatched it from Sango's grasp before anyone could do anything, and promptly passed out.  
"Inu Yasha!" Kagome exclaimed, grabbing his shoulder. She quickly joined him, passed out on the floor.  
After rousing both of them, again, Myoga was able to convince Inu Yasha to let someone else hang on to Tenseiga for the trip out to visit Toto-sai. They began to plan for their trip to the sword smith when there was a loud banging on the door.  
"Are you in there, monk?" the innkeeper demanded loudly.  
"Oh no, it's the innkeeper! Quickly Inu Yasha, hide." Miroku whispered urgently. Kagome threw a blanket over the hanyou's head and shoved him, sitting down, in the corner, next to her bag.  
"Please just stay here and quiet," she pleaded softly.  
"Feh, fine," he agreed.  
"Thanks," she replied, kissing him on the cheek quickly.  
When he felt her lips press against his skin, his eyes went wide, and he could feel the blush rise in his face. Whoa! Did Kagome just kiss me? He pondered silently.  
As she pulled her head out form under the blanket, she felt her cheeks heat as she blushed. Did I just kiss him? What was I thinking? As she thought, she brought her hand up to her lips.  
"What can I do for you, my good man?" Miroku inquired, sliding the door open before the innkeeper could resume his pounding.  
"I thought I heard voices coming from this room as I walked down the hallway. I just wanted to make sure you and these young women were okay," supplied the innkeeper, looking around the room in suspicion.  
"We are fine, I was simply sharing some of the Buddha's teachings with my followers here," Miroku said. Both women smiled at the innkeeper and nodded their heads vigorously.  
"When do you think that you'll be able to take care of this dark presence you sense?"  
"Just as soon as we are done eating the evening meal. Then tomorrow, my followers and I will be leaving."  
"Oh, so soon?" the innkeeper stepped out the doorway to allow Miroku, Sango, and Kagome to follow him.  
"I'll meet you later at the tree," Kagome whispered back into the room, knowing that Inu Yasha's ears would hear her. Then she turned, to follow the others down stairs.  
Her last remark wasn't the only thing that Inu Yasha's ears were able to pick up. He was also able to hear the conversation between the innkeeper and Miroku as they walked down the hall.  
"Who was she talking to?" the innkeeper asked.  
"No one, she's a bit of an eccentric, as I said. But worry not, she is harmless," Miroku assured the innkeeper.  
"Why do you keep her with you then?"  
"Well, I hope that perhaps the Buddha's teachings will help to cure her," the voices faded as they went down the stairs. Inu Yasha was still lost in thought over Kagome's kiss.  
"Err, master Inu Yasha?" Myoga asked tentatively.  
"Huh?" answered the half demon, his thoughts returning to the present. "What do you want, Myoga?"  
"Well master, perhaps we should leave before they come back. I believe Lady Kagome said something about a tree?"  
"Oh, right. Come on then." Inu Yasha crawled out form under the blanket and opened the window. Checking to make sure he was clear, he climbed out of the window, closing it behind him, and leapt form the windowsill. He quickly made his way out of the town. Once he was far enough away, he took to the trees, leaping from branch to branch, he found the tree he and Kagome had slept in the previous night.  
Finding a comfortable branch, the same one he had shared with Kagome, the inu hanyou shut his eyes in an attempt to sleep.  
"Uh, Lord Inu Yasha?"  
"What now, Myoga?"  
"Uh, I was just wondering if something had changed between you and Lady Kagome that I should know about."  
"Nothing's changed, and even if it had, I doubt that it would be any of your business anyway."  
"Well, it's just tha-"  
"Drop it, Myoga!" Inu Yasha commanded in an irritated voice.  
"Of course, my Lord."  
Night was almost upon them by the time Inu Yasha heard Kagome coming. Dropping to the ground, he leaned against the tree's trunk to await her arrival.  
As she entered the clearing that surrounded the tree of Inu Yasha's choice, his senses were flooded with her. His eyes hungrily roamed over her body, delighting in her every move. His nose was filled with the scent that was simply her. Her voice was like the sweetest music he had every heard, every word caressed his ears.  
"Hi, Inu Yasha, sorry we had to hide you like that, but the innkeeper ended up all but asking me to leave," she laughed. "What's wrong?" she asked, noticing the strange look on his face, concern evident in her voice. "Why are you looking at me like that, Inu Yasha?"  
He moved forward, the movement so quick and smooth; he seemed to flow toward her. He stopped just short of running her down, and inhaled her scent deeply. Reaching out, he slid his hands down her arms, enjoying the luxurious feel of her soft smooth skin. His chest rumbled in a deep purr of pleasure.  
"Wha-what are you doing Inu Yasha?" she asked, worry seeping into her voice, and fear into her scent. When he didn't respond, she continued, "You're frightening me Inu Yasha."  
Squeezing his eyes shut, he shook his head to clear his thoughts. "What do you mean, wench?" was his reflexively acidic response. He knew she hated being called that, and as soon as the word had left his lips, he wanted nothing more in the world then to be able to take it back. That wasn't what I meant to say damn it! As he thought, he could smell fury rising in her scent.  
Her whole body went stiff, "I guess I was wrong about you! I thought you had grown up. I guess I was wrong, you're still acting like a child."  
"Maybe you were, bitch," he cursed himself as every word left his mouth. Damn it, I didn't mean to say that either! Why can't I say what I want to?  
"Fine!" she shouted angrily, tears forming in her eyes, "Take your stupid dinner." As she said this, she shoved a small paper bag he hadn't noticed her carrying into his hands. "I hope you choke on it, you arrogant jerk!" With that, she stormed off into the woods, reeking of fury, and of hurt.  
As she went, he reached a hand out as if to stop her and whispered, "Don't go Kagome. I'm sorry for being a jerk. That wasn't what I meant to say. Thanks for thinking of me and bringing me dinner." His words we so quiet that he barely heard them himself.  
"Um, my lord-"  
"Shut up and leave me alone Myoga."  
The flea watched as his obviously depressed master took the bag and disappeared in the opposite direction of the angry Miko. Hmm, the flea thought to himself, perhaps I can talk to her, make her see that he didn't mean those things he said; although I really don't know why he did say them.  
Resolute in his decision, the insect demon took off in search of Kagome. He found her not far away, kneeling in the dirt, and crying quietly.  
"My Lady Kagome?" he asked softly.  
"Myoga? -sniff- Did he send you to keep tabs on me?" the young woman asked.  
"Uh, no, milady. He wandered off looking more depressed then he did when his mother died. I came to you of my own accord."  
"Oh, what do you want then?"  
"I wanted to tell you something, something that happened right after you left." She looked at him in confusion, then worry.  
"Did, something happen to him?" Concern overcoming the anger in her voice.  
"As soon as you turned, he whispered something to you. He said, 'Don't go Kagome. I'm sorry for being a jerk. That wasn't what I meant to say. Thanks for thinking of me and bringing me dinner.'"  
"Well, he had better learn how to say those things when I can hear them," she muttered.  
"Uh, yes my lady. However, I really don't think that you should take any of these nasty things he says to heart. Have you noticed that when he is nice he is nicer then before and when he is mean he is meaner then he used to be?" Seeing the girl nod, he continued, "I think that it might have something to do with Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga."  
"So, what you're saying is that I should ignore both the good and the bad?"  
"No, I think that the one draws out is inner feelings, and allows him to share them, while the other causes him to become more protective of his feelings, far more then usual."  
"Oh, great! Now I have a manic-depressive half demon to contend with, figures I'd fall for someone like that." As she said the last words, her eyes grew huge and she grabbed Myoga. "You must promise me that you will never tell him I said that, or feel that way!"  
"Of course, my lady, you have my word that I will never tell another soul what you have just revealed to me. However, I am here if you ever need to confide in someone. If I might be so bold, I would suggest not keeping your feelings concealed for too long, he needs to hear you say those words."  
"Thanks Myoga, I'll think about what you said. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to set my sleeping bag set up somewhere and get some much needed rest," she punctuated this with a yawn.  
"As you will, I must return now to my master. Goodnight." She waved the flea away with one hand, while the other covered her yawning mouth.  
Myoga didn't have far to go. While he had been talking with Kagome, Inu Yasha had been listening from a nearby branch, where he could neither see, nor be seen by Kagome.  
"My lord, what are you doing here?" asked the surprised flea.  
"Shh, keep your voice down," he hissed in reply. "Even if I say nasty and mean things to her, I still must protect her. I can't very well do that if I don't know where she is, now can I?"  
"Of course, my lord, uh, did you hear us talking?"  
"Yeah."  
"Then what do you think abou-"  
"I don't want to talk about it Myoga. Just get some sleep," he said, cutting the old flea off.  
"Of course Lord Inu Yasha." He waited until he was sure that Inu Yasha was asleep then took a long drink of his blood. Once his belly was full, he too went to sleep. While Myoga slept deeply, Inu Yasha's sleep was light and fitful.  
Every time he heard a sound come from the area Kagome was in, he awoke. He finally got so paranoid, he moved to another tree where he could observe her, unseen. As he watched, he could tell that her sleep was uneasy.  
She muttered in her sleep, and he could hear it. At first, he tried to ignore it, but every so often, he heard a few words that he understood, and curiosity got the better of him. Stealthfully, he crept down the tree, leaving Myoga behind, and made his way across the ground to where Kagome was sleeping.  
Leaning very close to her, he was able to make out some of what she was saying. One word in particular. "Sit." With that one faint utterance, Inu Yasha's body collapsed and fell the six inches that had been separating them. The force of impact from Inu Yasha's body caused the young Miko to waken rather abruptly.  
Her first thought was confusion over what or who was lying so heavily upon her. Once she realized who it was, she then felt a deep blush rise in her cheeks from the embarrassment of having their bodies pressed so closely together.  
She could feel his powerful arms on either side of her body. His broad, well-muscled chest pressed hard against her breasts. His hair had fallen onto her face, and she was surrounded by its smell; mostly his scent, but also a faint trace of tree sap and fresh air. As he growled, trying to get up off her, she could feel his chest rumble, causing her body to vibrate in a not so unpleasant manner.  
The spell was starting to wear off, and she was tempted to cast it again to have the feel of him against her for just a bit longer. She then remembered that she was very angry with him, and considered recasting it for a totally different reason.  
Shoving him off of her, she yelled, "Get off me, Inu Yasha! What the hell are you doing here? Why were you laying on top of me? Are you mute now, or just deaf?  
I'm sorry, I was just checking to make sure you were okay, he thought. But when he opened his mouth, "I was laying on you because you sat me, bitch," was all that came out.  
"Why were you right over me?"  
Because I love to watch you sleep. You're not mad at me, and you look so peaceful. "You were babbling in your sleep to the point that I couldn't sleep. I was trying to shut your damn mouth, wench."  
"Why were you anywhere near me? I thought I made it clear I didn't want to see you for a while when I told you to choke on your dinner."  
Because I need to protect you, Kagome. If anything happened to you, I don't know if I could continue to live. "Because I can't have your dumb ass dying on me, I still need you to find the shards for me."  
"Is that all I am to you; just a shard detector?" Before he could say anything, he clamped his mouth shut so tight Kagome could hear his teeth creek. In reply to her question, he simply shook his head.  
"Well? Aren't you going to answer?" she demanded, pulling his face close to hers. Se could see an inner conflict in his eyes, and how hard he was struggling not to open his mouth and respond.  
Taking a deep breath, she was ready to demand that he respond again when she remembered what Myoga had said. Looking deep into his eyes, she could tell that the silent side was winning the struggle, and she could see worry starting to creep in. Worry about what she was going to do and say next. There was something else there too, she couldn't quite tell what it was.  
Is that remorse? It couldn't be, yet that's what it looks like. Is he actually sorry about what he said?! Is that why he's not talking now? Closing her eyes, she leaned in even closer. For the second time that day, she kissed him, but this time on the lips.  
When he made no response, she pulled her head back. Surprise was written all over his face. It was tinted with a touch of relief, and happiness. Before she could say anything, he closed the distance between their lips, and pressed his to hers. Overcoming her initial surprise, she closed her eyes again, and kissed him back.  
What started as a chaste kiss, quickly deepened and grew in passion. Kagome gasp slightly when she felt his tongue pressing lightly against her lips. She opened her mouth some, and was rewarded by the feel of his warm tongue pressing against her own. They continued kissing, probing and teasing each other until they had to stop for air. Kagome opened her eyes slowly, and found a pair of golden ones looking deep into them. She smiled and pulled him down next to her. She tucked her head under his chin, and cuddled against him. He wrapped one arm protectively around her waist, and brought the other up to cushion her head.  
Myoga watched from the tree with a small grin on his face. He decided that he would wait to see what happened in the morning before he would do or say anything. 


	5. Chapter 5: A Lesser Victory and the Grea...

A/N: I don't own Inu Yasha, blah, blah, blah. Don't sue me, it wouldn't be nice, and I'm poor. The Call of Life and Death Chapter 5: A Lesser Victory and the greater Struggle  
  
Once again, Kagome was awakened by the morning's light and the chirping of birds. And for the second day in a row, she awoke in Inu Yasha's arms.  
A girl could get used to this, she mused, reveling in the feel of Inu Yasha's embrace. She loved the way that his powerful body curved around her, giving her the peace of mind that comes with strong, reliable, assured protection.  
The peace of the morning was shattered as a shrill cry rang out.  
"Myoga!" Sango screamed, "Where are they? I have to talk to Kagome. NOW!" Kagome couldn't hear Myoga's response, but she could tell Sango didn't like it. "I don't care what you think, take me to them, or I will squish you like the insect you are, and find them myself."  
The young Miko was startled by Inu Yasha's sigh. Sitting up, he yawned and looked down at Kagome. Opening his mouth, he began to speak, "So, wen-," clamping his jaw shut quickly, a look of deep worry washed over his features.  
Also sighing, Kagome sat up and caressed his cheek with her hand. "It's okay," she whispered to him. "I know you don't mean it."  
Winking, she rose, and started to put her sleeping bag back in her bag. No sooner had she started then Sango came crashing into the clearing. Locking onto Kagome with her eyes, the demon exterminator strode purposefully over to her.  
"We need to talk, Kagome," she explained. "Inu Yasha, would you mind leaving us alone?"  
Not trusting himself to speak, Inu Yasha simply nodded and disappeared into the trees. Blinking at his strange behavior, Sango muttered, "What happened to him?"  
"He's fine," said Kagome, startling the other woman out of her thoughts. "Just leave him be. Now, what is this that is so important, that you felt the need to threaten Myoga's life?"  
"Huh? Wha-Oh! Right," Sango sputtered, a blush rising in her cheeks.  
"Well? Come on, spill it!"  
"It's the monk.."  
The girls' voices faded as Inu Yasha moved away from them. He wandered aimlessly, lost in his thoughts.  
What the hell happened back there? Did I really kiss Kagome? Gods it felt wonderful to hold her like that. It was never like that with Kikyo. She was always so cold and even when she held me I could feel part of her holding back; like she wanted to be close, but never wanted to let her guard down.  
Ahh, what does all this mean? I can't bear to go back to Kikyo's frozen embrace after I have felt Kagome's warmth. I may still have responsibilities to Kikyo, but I have responsibilities to Kagome as well. But, don't I also have responsibilities to.myself?  
A strange thought echoed in his mind. The first responsibility anyone has is to himself. Only once that responsibility has been satisfied, may he look to what is owed to others. He could tell that it wasn't his thought, but it made sense to him.  
Yes, Kikyo's dead. But I'm not, and Kagome's not dead. Don't we deserve to be happy too? But how can I be sure that Kagome would be happy with me? She's always so kind to everyone. Maybe she could just tell that I needed that. Yeah, that's it. She was just being kind. I'm always such a jerk to her. I should try to curb that.  
Right now, I need to go find the monk so we can find Toto-sai and figure out what the hell is going on. I just wish that I could convince myself that it was different. That kiss...NO! I can't think like that. I need to focus, where the hell is Miroku?  
  
"It's the monk. He.I.Jeez, how do I put this?"  
"Come on, you can tell me," Kagome assured her.  
"It's just embarrassing, is all."  
"If you tell me, I'll tell you a secret."  
"About what?"  
"You first."  
"Fine, fine. The, uh, monk-Miroku."  
"Yes?"  
"HE, us, he asked me to bear him a son again."  
"Yeah, and..?"  
"Well, um."  
"Wait, did you say yes?"  
"Not exactly."  
"Not exactly?" Kagome prompted.  
"Well, I didn't say no. He was so sweet, none of the groping or ogling. He was really polite and serious. It was so out of character for him."  
"So, what are you going to do?"  
"I don't know. I just don't know."  
"Do you love him?" Kagome asked with no mockery in her voice.  
"I-I-I think that I might be falling for him. I just don't know."  
"Ooo!" the younger woman squealed in excitement, clapping her hands together.  
"So, what's your secret?" Sango questioned, eyeing the overly excited girl from the future warily.  
"Well, um." she replied nervously.  
"I told you mine, now you tell me yours," Sango reminded Kagome.  
"Inu Yasha, uh, kind of, um, kissed me last night," by the time she had finished the sentence, she was whispering.  
"What was that?"  
"Inu Yasha kissed me last night."  
"That's not funny, Kagome. I was being serious."  
"So am I."  
Blinking in surprise at the candor in her friend's voice, Sango seized her friend by the shirt. "He didn't force himself on you, did he?"  
"No!" she said, knocking Sango's hands from her shirt. "He was very cute about it, and I, uh, I kind of started it."  
"Jeez, what the hell is going on here?" Sango asked, sitting down heavily.  
"You can't say anything about this to ANYONE!"  
"Of course not," the demon exterminator said, dismissing her friend's worries.  
"I mean it, not a word to anyone. It's hard enough for him to admit his feelings with other people making fun of him for it."  
"Okay, okay, I promise that I won't say anything about it to anyone. But you can't tell anyone about me and the monk."  
"I promise; you keep quiet, and so will I."  
"Deal."  
"Now, we should get going, we need to find the men and head out to find Toto-sai."  
Both women left the clearing, making their way back to the village that they had been staying in. They found Miroku sitting with Inu Yasha, Kirara, and the now recovered Myoga at the table out front of the Inn. The monk's face lit up when he saw Sango, she fixed him with a glare fit to strip paint in response.  
"I've settled the bill with the innkeeper, so we can leave just as soon as everyone is ready," Miroku informed the women as they reached the tale. "Inu Yasha seems to have become a mute overnight," he continued. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, Kagome?"  
Shut up Miroku. "Mind your own damned business, you sleazy pervert," said Inu Yasha. Well, that came out fairly close, he thought as he clamped his jaw shut.  
Slightly taken-aback by Inu Yasha's remark, Miroku fixed him with a startled look. "Well now, what brought that on? Have a rough night Inu Yasha?" he teased the half demon.  
"Lave him alone Miroku," Kagome interjected, sticking up for the, once again, silent hanyou. "He's not talking because he doesn't want to offend us. Myoga told me he though it might have something to do with the swords, and all the other strange things that are going on. Isn't that right Myoga?"  
Everyone turned to look at Myoga. "I, uh, that is what I said. We should go try to find Toto-sai. He might be able to tell us what is going on."  
"I agree. Let's go then," Sango said quickly, before anyone could object. With out further argument, the company left the small village. Sango and Kagome walked next to each other, and Miroku followed, next to Inu Yasha who was carrying Kagome's bag for her. The company spent the rest of the day walking, mostly in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.  
After a small dinner, the humans relaxed by the fire, while Inu Yasha brooded in a nearby tree. Holding the Tenseiga, which he had retrieved from Kagome's bag with no one noticing, before him he pondered what fate held in store for him.  
What am I going to do now? What the hell and I going to do with this thing? It was forged from my father's fang and meant to preserve life. Drawing Tetsusaiga, he compared the blades. Also forged from my father's fangs, but designed to take life. In one hand I hold the power to revoke life, and in the other, the power to revoke death. Isn't that the kind of power that is only supposed to belong to a god? But I'm no god; I'm not even a full demon.  
Shaking his head, he let his gaze drift from the blades in his hands. As his eyes wandered, his attention was drawn to the campsite below. They had invited him to stay with them, but he had refused, claiming the need to keep watch. A peal of warm laughter drifted up in the evening air. He could see that the monk had said something that had both the women laughing loudly. He could feel himself getting angry.  
Why am I angry? Because the monk can make her laugh while all you can do is make her mad. I should be the one making her laugh, not that pervert. Yes, you should, but you're not. Shut up.  
Re-sheathing the swords, he rose to his feet. Before he could drop to the ground, he smelled something in the air. As he did, his shoulder began to ache. He knew the scent, he just couldn't place it. Upon hearing Kagome's scream, it snapped into place what the scent was from.  
It was the beast from before; the one who had injured Inu Yasha on their way here. He was out of the tree and in the middle of the campsite before he had finished thinking.  
Drawing Tetsusaiga, he took the other sword off, and tossed it to Kagome saying, "Watch this for me, I'll be wanting it back when I'm done."  
Catching the sword, she nodded mutely and went to her bag for her bow and arrows. Miroku and Sango moved over to where Kagome was, and took up defensive positions.  
"What's wrong Kagome?" Miroku asked, searching the darkness for the cause of her fright.  
"Show yourself, beast!" Inu Yasha challenged the night.  
"Muhahahahaha," rumbled from the darkness. "You wish to face me, pup? You'll need more then your daddy's teeth if you wish to even challenge me." Spinning, Inu Yasha tried to get a fix on the seemingly omnipresent voice. "Come, pup, let's see what you've got," taunted the dark voice.  
"It's over there," yelled Kagome, pointing to the bushes to Inu Yasha's right.  
"How do you know?" he asked, turning in that direction.  
"Jewel shards, and lots of them. Either he has some kind of deal with Naraku, or there are a whole lot more shards then we had thought," she replied.  
"Very clever. But I have no deal with that simple hanyou. He was easy prey. He tried to absorb me, as though I was some normal demon," the voice broke into a dark laughter.  
"He's moving," Kagome informed her protector.  
"Which way?" he demanded.  
"There, behind you!"  
Leaping from the shadows, a large and incredibly fast shape lunged at Inu Yasha's back. He was able to get out of the way of the main blow, but the beast's foot caught him in the chest. Digging its claws into Inu Yasha, it changed direction and leapt for the group of humans.  
Swinging Hiraikotsu, Sango tried to strike the creature from its intended path. The attacker easily dodged her swing, and allowed it to follow through into Miroku's chest. Snickering at the sickening crack that resulted from the blow, it failed to notice that Kagome had drawn an arrow.  
Firing it point blank into the monster's shoulder, she could see that her arrow had hit its mark. Hissing in pain and surprise, the beast stopped its assault and retreated to the shadows.  
"You haven't seen the last of me. I'll be back for your shard, your life, and that of your woman, pup," echoed out of the dark forest.  
"Come back here and fight you fucking coward! When I get my hands on you, you'll wish you had never been born!" Inu Yasha yelled after the retreating foe.  
Sighing in relief, Kagome lowered her bow. She remembered Inu Yasha, and ran to where he was standing. He had clenched his teeth, and was sucking air in through his nose. His chest was a bloody ruin. The old injury had reopened, and was adding its flow of blood to the one pouring out of the new trenches that hand been dug by the monster's foot.  
"Inu Yasha," she asked tentatively, "Are you okay?"  
"No, bitch," he replied. "I'm pretty fucking far from okay."  
She smiled; ignoring the name he had called her, and his language. She smiled because she knew if Inu Yasha was making sarcastic remarks and calling her names, he would be alright. Looking over to where Miroku had fallen, she saw Sango already kneeling over his prone body.  
"What the hell are you smiling at?" the hanyou asked angrily, sitting down.  
"Nothing, let me get you some bandages for your chest," she replied.  
"Feh," he replied, removing his fire-rat haori and moving the white yukata under it out of the way. She returned from her bag, and began flushing out the wounds with water. Then she sterilized them with antiseptic, and padded them with gauze. Finishing up, she wrapped the bandages with and ace bandage to hold them in place. "We should have someone look at these, you might need stitches."  
"Kagome," called Sango, "When you are done with Inu Yasha's wounds, I could use your help with Miroku; I think I broke some of his ribs."  
"I'll be right over, Sango," she yelled back. Turning her attention back to her patient, she instructed him to sit for a while, with the unintentional effect of causing him to do a face plant into the ground. "Oh gods, Inu Yasha, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that."  
"Feh, whatever, just go see to Miroku, and leave me be!" he replied from the ground. She rose to her feet and walked over to where Miroku was laying. He was lying on his back; his eyes clenched shut in pain.  
"Where did he get hit?" Kagome asked, sinking to her knees next to Miroku.  
"Along his left ribs, right about here," Sango replied, indicating the area with her hand, careful not to touch the affected area. The young Miko gently felt the monk's ribs, noticing him wincing at the touch.  
"I can feel a few broken ribs, and a couple of the others are probably bruised," she announced. "I'm not sure how to splint them, but I do know that he's not walking back to Kaede's hut."  
"Oh gods, Miroku, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hit you." Deep concern was clearly evident in Sango's voice.  
"It's okay," he grunted out through clenched teeth. "I know you didn't mean it."  
"Shh, don't speak," the demon exterminator silenced him with a finger on his lips.  
"Sango, get the blanket from my bag. Inu Yasha, do you think you can walk some?" Kagome asked.  
"Of course I can, I'm not as frail as you humans," he told her, gesturing at Miroku.  
"Good, I need your help. Sango, stay here and look after Miroku, we'll be right back." Grabbing Inu Yasha's hand, she dragged him behind her into the woods.  
"I'm going to need your help Inu Yasha; we need two poles for a stretcher for Miroku. And I can't see in the dark." He grunted acknowledgement and began looking around. She followed him, still not releasing his hand. Raising an eyebrow at her, he said nothing, just continued the search.  
Finding a young tree about three inches thick, he asked, "How about this, will it work for your purposes?"  
"Perfectly," she replied. "One down, one to go, no pun intended," she added as he felled the tree.  
"What?" he asked, looking confused.  
"Never mind, let's just find another like this one."  
Shrugging, he picked up the downed tree and a hacked off the bottom seven feet of it to take with them. They quickly found a second tree, and he repeated the process.  
As he picked up the second tree length, Inu Yasha remarked, "You could have just told me what you needed. I don't see why you came along."  
"So I could do this." She stepped in front of him and ran her hands up his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck. Bringing her face close to his, she pressed her lips gently against his in a deep kiss. She heard the poles clatter to the ground, and felt his arms wrap around her as he kissed her back.  
They stood there in the dark kissing for what felt like an eternity, but was really only a few moments. Finally Kagome broke it off, resting her head on his chest. She smiled as she caught her breath, because she could hear his heart pounding as hard as hers. She sighed happily and began to twirl his forelock in her fingers.  
"We should be getting back, they'll be wondering what happened to us," he reminded her.  
"Yeah," she replied, hesitant to step away from his warm embrace. He bent down and retrieved the poles. When he stood again, she tried to recapture his hand with hers, but found that it had snuck around her waist.  
Smiling up at him, she caught his quick wink. They walked back to the camp so linked. Stopping just outside the clearing, Inu Yasha gave her waist a quick squeeze, and dropped his arm to his side.  
Sighing again, she didn't try to hold onto him. He wasn't ready to show affection in front of the others, and she wouldn't push it. They stepped into the light of the camp fire to find Sango standing over Miroku, with her katana held at the ready.  
"Sango, what's wrong?" Kagome inquired.  
"Kagome? Oh thank the gods you're back. When I heard the trees falling, I figured it was just you two, but then you two didn't come right back, and I suspected the worst. What did take you two so long to get back?" asked the now relieved demon exterminator.  
The glow of the fire hid Kagome's blush, Inu Yasha responded by saying, "Well, we weren't very well going to bring the whole trees back with us. I had to shorten them, now stop acting foolish."  
Much to the astonishment of the two women, he sat and proceeded to trim the branches from the wooden lengths he had brought back with him. As he did this, Kagome laid out the blanket. When he was done, she placed the poles and folded the blanket into a stretcher next to Miroku.  
"Inu Yasha, and Sango, I need you two to slide the stretcher under Miroku when I rock his body onto his right side. Miroku, this is going to hurt a bit." Kagome warned. "Rock him on three; one, two, three!"  
Miroku grunted in pain as he was moved into place. They moved as quickly as they could, to make the pain as transitory as possible.  
"Sango, do you think that Kirara would mind if we tied the front of the stretcher to her back?" Kagome asked. "We would still have to take turns carrying the other end because dragging it would be murder for his ribs."  
"That sounds like a good idea. I doubt Kirara will mind," Sango replied, scratching the now transformed fire cat demon behind the ears. Following Kagome's instructions, Sango helped her tie the one end of the stretcher to Kirara's back, while Inu Yasha held the other end.  
They walked all night, Inu Yasha doing most of the carrying while the girls watched for enemies and took turns napping on Kirara's back. The morning sun found Inu Yasha carrying the stretcher while Sango walked beside him. Kagome was sleeping soundly on Kirara's back, and Miroku had long since passed out.  
"Huh? What was that Sango?" he asked, her voice calling him out of the daze he had been walking in.  
"I asked what was going on between you and Kagome," she repeated. "Don't worry, they're both soundly asleep, and I won't tell them anything that you say," Sango assured him as he glanced worriedly at the sleeping humans and his current company.  
"I.I don't know," he admitted after a long pause.  
"What do you mean, you don't know?" she asked, taking advantage of his abnormal openness.  
"I mean that I am still very confused about the whole situation. On one hand there is Kagome. She seems interested, but sometimes I wonder if it's only her kindness showing. I feel a deep need to protect her, and I enjoy spending time with her."  
"And on the other hand."  
"And on the other hand there is Kikyo. I still have a grave responsibility to her. When we were so easily tricked into betraying one another, fifty years ago, something between us broke; something very fragile. When I woke, I hated her so much, I almost killed Kagome because they looked so much alike. I've begun to doubt that I ever truly loved her. I think that I was more in love with the idea of being in love with her then I was with her. Do you know what I mean?"  
At her nod, he continued, "We made promises to each other before the betrayal, and I mean to keep my honor. If I don't have my honor, then I will lose myself, and every battle I fight will be meaningless, and every day I live will be worth less then the one before it."  
"I know what you mean. I have to face a similar problem of honor when ever I am forced to face Kohaku. While one side is the dishonor of fighting my brother while he is controlled by our enemy, and on the other is the dishonor of endangering my comrades, and allowing my enemy's agent to control me. What do you plan to do about Kagome and Kikyo?"  
She had asked him in a matter of fact manner. The question was honest, and she seemed to not be pressuring him one way or the other. "I'm not sure, but I like spending time with Kagome, so I'll just have to cross that bridge when I come to it. And until then, I'll try to make the most of the time I have."  
Nodding, Sango offered to take over carrying the stretcher. Unknown to Inu Yasha and Sango, Kagome had awakened while they were speaking. Well, I guess I'm just going to have to make the best of that time too. I'll just rest a little longer then I'll 'wake up.'  
"Oh, and Sango," Inu Yasha said, "If you tell anyone about this conversation, I'll track you down and kill you with my bare hands."  
Seeing the deadly serious look in his eyes, she replied, "I said that I wouldn't, and I won't. My honor prohibits me from going back on my word, and as you said, without honor we don't have much."  
He nodded his head once in acknowledgement, and turned is attention to keeping the stretcher level and keeping pace with Kirara.  
Kagome "woke up" about half an hour later. She made no indication that she had heard Inu Yasha's and Sango's conversation, deciding instead wait to put her new information to use. The girls chatted about this and that, and took turns with Inu Yasha carrying the back part of the stretcher. They arrived in the village by the well in the late afternoon. They carried the stretcher into Kaede's hut and had her examine Miroku's ribs.  
"Hmm, it is as Kagome thought, ye have three broken ribs and two more that will break if not given time to heal, Miroku," the old Miko informed the injured monk. "Was this the only injury?"  
"Well, Inu Yasha has some cuts across his chest that are fairly deep," Kagome answered.  
"Let me see them child," Kaede instructed the hanyou. Shooting Kagome a dark look, he removed the clothing covering is upper torso. Carefully removing the bandages, Kaede inspected the wounds. "Hmm, ye shall need stitches, Inu Yasha. Kagome, please see to his wounds while I attend to Miroku's."  
"Uh, I'm not sure that I can do that," the girl from the future admitted.  
"Do ye not know how to sew?"  
Not, I can, it's just that."  
"Just what?"  
"Well, sewing cloth is different from living flesh, and I've never done that before."  
"It will be fine. This is a skill that you'll need in the future, so long as you hunt the Shikon Jewel, you will have to fight. And more then likely, you will have to stitch wounds shut. Normally Inu Yasha's wounds would be able to heal them selves with out a problem. However, the beast that bit him seems to have poisoned him."  
"Uh, okay. I'll try my best."  
"Inu Yasha is an ideal person to start on. His pain tolerance is very high, and he heals very well on his own, despite the poison. I will inspect them when you are done. You should go outside where the light is better; the table there should suit your needs." Handing Kagome the needle and thread, Kaede turned back to the job of splinting Miroku's ribs. Outside, Kagome instructed Inu Yasha to lie on his back on the table.  
"Let me know if it hurts too much," she said.  
His response was a noncommittal grunt. Shrugging, Kagome threaded the needle and started to stitch the wounds shut. There were three long gashed that required her attention. By the time the first one was done, her stitches were well placed and even. Her hand moved of its own accord, and her mind began to wander.  
"Inu Yasha?"  
"What?"  
"What's going on between us?"  
"Huh?"  
"I mean, what's happening?"  
"Well, right now you are stitching my chest shut."  
"That's not what I meant and you know it!" she accentuate her point by smacking him on the side of the head lightly.  
"Well, what the hell do you mean?"  
"Forget it! I guess I was wrong about it anyway!"  
"Feh, fine."  
She was furious with him, but did not allow it to be reflected in her stitches. She may have been pissed at him, but he was too important to her and she was too kind to do something as petty as that.  
When she was done with the stitches, she stormed back into the hut. Sango exited a few moments later to find Inu Yasha sitting on the table and looking very confused. Walking up, she sat down next to the young half demon.  
"What was that all about?" she asked.  
"Damned if I know," he responded.  
"I don't think I've seen her this pissed at you since the time you accused her of being Koga's woman." At the mention of the wolf demon's name, Inu Yasha let out a low growl and stared death into the ground.  
"Do you want me to try and find out what she's pissed about?" Sango offered.  
Inu Yasha turned a thoughtful look at Sango as he considered her offer. Well, I've trusted her this far, why not a little more? No you fool! She's just waiting until you are vulnerable, then she'll betray you, just like everyone else has. Kagome hasn't. Hasn't she? He shook his head to clear his arguing his thoughts.  
"Feh," was all he finally said.  
Figuring that because of their earlier discussion he really did want to know, but was just too proud or stubborn to admit it, she would go find out, and tell him anyway. Shrugging her shoulders, she walked back toward the hut, leaving the half demon by himself.  
Inu Yasha once again found himself looking at the entrance to the hut, wondering what was going on. Shaking his head he glanced around himself and saw a bandaged, but happy Shippo bearing down on him. Sighing, he prepared himself for the tirade of questions that were sure to accompany the young fox demon's arrival.  
"What happened to your chest? Is Kagome back? Where is she? Did you make her mad again? What did you do this time?" Shippo asked in rapid succession.  
"Shut it, runt," Inu Yasha replied calmly.  
"You did make her mad! Why do you always maker her mad? Now she'll go back though the well and I won't get to see her!"  
"I said shut it!" he growled, allowing some anger to flow into his voice. Grabbing the kitsune by the tail, he held Shippo up so he could look at him eye to eye. "Kagome is inside tending to Miroku's wounds. I got clawed and bitten in a fight. I don't know why she's mad at me, but I don't think she'll go back through the well just yet. And if you would shut your yap occasionally, you might find out the answers to a few of the inane questions you seem insistent on asking constantly." When he was done speaking, Inu Yasha put Shippo back on the ground, careful of the kit's wounds. "Now get lost."  
Sticking his tongue out at Inu Yasha, Shippo wandered into the hut, and left the inu hanyou alone once more. Because he was sitting outside, Inu Yasha was the first to notice the new arrival. Lifting his nose into the air, he smelled something strangely familiar.  
"Toto-sai!" he whispered, jumping to his feet. Pulling his clothing back into place, the half demon took off in the direction of the blacksmith's scent.  
Unknown to Inu Yasha, Kagome had come out of the hut when Shippo can in muttering about Inu Yasha acting strangely. She was just in time to hear is whisper and to watch him take off down the road. Knowing the way Inu Yasha and the old sword smith got along, Kagome figured the senile geezer would need all the help he could get. Hopping on her bike, she peddled after her protector without a word to anyone inside.  
She found him not far outside of the village, standing in front of the three-eyed oxen, upon which sat the sword smith. Neither of the men noticed her arrival. Both were too busy arguing to notice anything else.  
"What the hell is going on with these swords?" demanded Inu Yasha in a loud angry voice.  
"I have no idea what you are talking about," replied Toto-sai. "Now give me your brother's sword back!"  
"You can have it when you pry it from my cold dead hand." The hanyou spat back. "Now answer my questions; why do you want it back?"  
"You barely have the ability to control one of the great swords, what makes you think you can master the power of both?"  
Before Inu Yasha could respond, Kagome made her presence known. "Inu Yasha is much stronger then you think. He has mastered both of the ultimate attacks of Tetsusaiga. He's not the same person you knew before, with a little help, he will master Tenseiga as well."  
"Kagome! What are you doing here?" questioned the surprised Inu Yasha as he spun to face her.  
Ignoring Inu Yasha's question, Kagome demanded, "Well?"  
"Hmm, perhaps you are correct, he hasn't threatened to kill me yet. Perhaps he is ready for the trials," replied Toto-sai.  
"Of course he is."  
"Hmm, I will allow him to take the trials."  
"Good."  
"You will go with him."  
"What?"  
"You must go with him if he is to take the trials."  
"Why?"  
"You are his weakness, you are his strength. Even if the two of you can't see it, it is plain for all others. Together you stand a chance of succeeding, apart, you will both fail."  
Feeling a bit left out, as the senile old sword smith and the young girl from the future decided his fate, Inu Yasha decided to remind them he was still there, "Hello? Don't I get a say in this?"  
Both the girl and the old man turned to face him and shouted, "NO!"  
Sputtering, Inu Yasha went to sit on the side of the road and mutter about stupid people running his life for him.  
"The two of you leave immediately!" cried Toto-sai, returning to the topic at hand.  
"I still don't see why I have to go," pouted Kagome.  
"Because I said so, and because he'll need you."  
Sighing in defeat, Kagome responded, "Fine, I'll go. Just let me bring my bike back, get my bag, and let everyone know we're going."  
"No, you leave now!" I'll return your bike and tell everyone what has happened to you." Jumping off his mount, Toto-sai took the bike from Kagome. "Go over to Inu Yasha and hang on to him tight.  
Doing as she was bid, Kagome walked over to Inu Yasha as heroes to his feet. Looking up at his face, she grabbed him around the waist in a tight hug.  
"Now, Inu Yasha, draw both swords. You have to concentrate on them as hard as you can. Feel the power coursing through them. Feel how the power is similar, and yet so different. Concentrate as hard as you can. Now reach into these powers and dram them into yourself. As much you cans stand. Keep drawing until you feel as though you are about to burst. Kagome, allow the power he is drawing to fill you as well, reach and connect with him."  
As Inu Yasha stood there, listening to the old man's words, he could sense the power emanating from the swords. Closing his eyes, he reached out, with his mind, into both swords. From Tetsusaiga flowed a bright and hot power that felt as though it should consume his very soul. From Tenseiga flowed a dark and cold power that felt like the icy grip of the grave on his soul.  
The two powers flowed through his arms, and mixed through out his body. The darkness chased the light, chasing the darkness, chasing the light, on into infinity. He drew more and more until it seemed the light would sear him to ash, and the darkness would reduce him to frozen dust.  
He had never felt so alive as he did while these energies raced through him. More and more he drew it into him, until it seemed he would burst. Enough, I have enough now. I cannot take any more. Despite his decision, more power flowed into him. Panicking, he barely was able to make out Toto-sai's words.  
"Allow Kagome to help you."  
How the hell am I supposed to do that? Even as he wondered, it became obvious how. He could sense a bridge of sorts, it pressed against him, but his walls prevented anything from crossing to it. Kagome. Relaxing his control slightly, he allowed the excess to flow across the bridge into her, though he was careful not to give her more then she could handle. She gasped when the power flowed into her from him, and grasped him tighter.  
"Now, Inu Yasha, cross the blades, short the circuit and enter with Kagome into the trials!" commanded a detached voice they both recognized as belonging to Toto-sai.  
Inu Yasha brought the blades closer and closer to each other. As he did so, he could feel the power arcing between them. When they touched, there was a sudden backlash as the energy filling the human and half demon rapidly flowed out of their bodies back into the swords, carrying them with it. The bodies of each crashed to the ground. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/N: Jeez, seventeen pages according to Microsoft Word XP! Happy holidays every one! I have no idea if you guys are reviewing because I don't know how to check for reviews here. I would love to hear what you all are thinking so drop me an email at arcainfire@yahoo.com. Chapter six will be a few weeks in coming probably, but I am working on it. Sorry to leave you with a bit of a cliff hanger, but all will be made clear..I hope. Any way, the story is at least half way done (meaning totally), so hopefully we'll be there soon. A big thank you to Black Phoenix and Ahrima for spending to much time beta reading my story. This note has gone on too long, so I'll end it now. 


	6. Chapter 6: Secrets Revealed

A/N: I still don't own Inu Yasha, or any of the other characters in this story. However, I would like to copyright anything that is left when you remove all the stuff that belongs to Takahashi Rumiko. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I know this took a really long time to get out, and it's not even as long as chapter five was. I ran into some writers block, I started the spring semester here at college, and a couple of my beta writers took longer then expected with the story. Thank you, by the way, to Black Phoenix, Kaz, Ahrima, Kenjo, and to Inuyasha, for beta reading my story. You all find my errors and fix my stupid mistakes. Thanks a bunch. Enjoy the story everyone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Call of Life and Death Chapter 6: Secrets Revealed  
  
Inu Yasha rose to his feet rubbing his head. "I had the strangest dream, Kagome," he started to say, stopping abruptly when he opened his eyes. He found himself in a broad expanse of solid black. Spinning around, he discovered that he was not alone.  
About ten meters away were two figures. Hovering about six inches above the polished onyx floor, the two figures formed the other two points in an equilateral triangle with where Inu Yasha was standing. Both of the figures greatly resembled Inu Yasha and his recently deceased half brother. They had Sesshomaru's long flowing silver hair and tail, and they had Inu Yasha's amber eyes. Both had three stripes on both cheeks and the crescent moon of demonic nobility adorned their foreheads.  
The figure to the hanyou's left was dressed in a solid black hakama and haori with a pure white yukata under. The colors were so true that the black seemed to fade into the surroundings, while the white seemed to glow with some inner light. The markings on the face of figure in black were the same black of it's clothing, making it seem to be holes in the figure, rather then facial markings. He (the figure) held his hands before him, about four inches from his chest. They were held about half a foot apart, with the palms facing each other. Between his hands was as sword. The blade was long, and hung point down; the sword's sharpened edge faced out, and was battered and nicked. Inu Yasha immediately recognized it at the Tetsusaiga.  
To Inu Yasha's right, the figure was clothed in a white hakama and haori with a black yukata under. He bore the same markings as the other figure, except that instead of being black, they were the white of his clothing. Between his hands hung another sword. This one was the same length as the other, but the blade was clean and true. Inu Yasha knew he would never have to fear a cut from that blade, as he recognized it as the Tenseiga.  
What the fuck is going on here? Inu Yasha wondered.  
'Watch your language!' echoed another though in his head. There was something strange about the voice/thought, it almost sounded like someone he knew.  
Kagome?  
'Yeah?'  
What the hell are you doing in my head?  
'How the hell should I know? I was hoping you would be able to tell me.'  
Feh, I don't know where the hell I am, why the hell I'm here, or what the hell is going on. He paused a moment in surprise. Did I really just admit all that?  
'Yes you did, now is there anything that you do know?'  
Shit! Yeah, I do know a few things.  
'Well, would you be so kind as to enlighten me as to what that might be?' she replied, sarcasm dripping from her tone.  
First, you can hear my thoughts.  
'Thanks for the update, I hadn't figured that out on my own. Now is there anything that you can tell me that isn't painfully obvious?'  
Well, if you would shut up for a second, and let me finish, you might know! The figures over there, one is holding Tetsusaiga and the other is holding Tenseiga. Also, they look like my father.  
'Your father!?'  
Yeah, my father, you stupid or something now?  
'Shut up, perhaps this is the beginning of those trial things Toto- sai was talking about.'  
Only one way to find out. Time to go ask them. His final thought carried the indication of the two figures before them. As he was about to step forward, he was stopped by a powerful voice.  
"WHO APPROACHED?" it demanded. Looking around, Inu Yasha vainly tried to locate the source of the words. Neither figure had moved, and the voice had seemed to come from every where at the same time. "WHO APPROACHES?" it repeated.  
"Inu Yasha," he replied.  
"WHY DO YOU SEEK THE POWERS OF LIFE AND DEATH?"  
"I don't seek those."  
"YOU ENTER THE TRIALS, YET YOU DO NOT SEEK THE POWER. WHAT IS IT YOU DO SEEK THEN, Inu Yasha?"  
"Answers," the hanyou answered angrily.  
'Careful, Inu Yasha, we don't want to piss them off.'  
Shut up, I can handle this.  
'Don't tell me to shut up, you big jerk! Why am I even here? I came to help you, but since you can't handle someone helping you.I WANT OUT!'  
Feh, seems like I can hear your thought too. And see if I care if you leave. I'll gladly get you out of my head just as soon as I'm done here. Until then, would you mind leaving my thought to me?  
When she didn't respond, he sighed and returned his attention to the figures before him.  
"YOU DARE TO THINK YOU COULD KNOW THE TRUE POWER OF THE GREAT BLADES, WHEN YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW YOUR OWN HEART?"  
"I already told you, I don't want the bloody-" he started to growl.  
"AND YET YOU HAVE ENTERED THE TRIALS. YOU CANNOT LEAVE THIS PLACE UNTIL YOU HAVE PASSED THE TRIALS, AND YOU ARE NOT TO BE PERMITTED TO ATTEMPT THEM. YOU WILL REMAIN HERE UNTIL YOU HAVE REACHED PEACE BETWEEN YOUR HEART AND YOUR MIND." With that, the figures faded from existence. "WE SHALL RETURN WHEN YOUR HEART AND MIND ARE AS ONE, AND YOU ARE READY FOR THE TRIALS."  
"Wait! Come back here!" he yelled, running to where the figures had been. "Wonderful, just bloody fucking wonderful."  
'Watch your language, Inu Yasha,' Kagome scolded him.  
"Oh, even fucking better!" he continued, ignoring her request. "Not only am I stuck here, and gods only know where the hell here is, with seemingly no way to leave, but I'm stuck here with you in my head, scolding me like a small child. Could today get any better?" Sitting on the ground, he chuckled hopelessly to himself, causing Kagome to wonder if he had gone a touch mad.  
  
Sticking his head in the door of Kaede's hut, Toto-sai looked the rest of the group over. Seeing everyone there, except for Inu Yasha and Kagome of course, the sword smith allowed the rest of his body to enter the room, never moving his head.  
"Toto-sai, won't you please join us?" asked Miroku, being the first to notice the old man.  
"Unfortunately, I can only stay for a moment, young man. Is that a roast I smell?" he replied, eyeing the pig that hung over the fire. Without waiting for a reply, the senile blacksmith took the spit off the fire, and consumed the pig in one bite.  
Sighing at the loss of their dinner, the group of shard hunters eyed him dangerously. "Why is it that you can only stay for a moment, Toto-sai? I know that both Myoga and Inu Yasha wanted to speak with you." Sango inquired, failing to prevent the irritation of losing dinner from being evident in her voice.  
"Oh, I was just summoned to get rid of Tokijin after it killed Inu Yasha's half brother. When I was done, I inquired as to the whereabouts of the Tenseiga. That disturbing little toad thing informed me that it had been given to Inu Yasha already, so I came to see him. He and that strange girl are off to the trials," he informed them, dismissing the information as unimportant with a wave of his hand. "They'll be back in a week or two. Oh, that Jaken thing is looking for a home for the human Sesshomaru adopted. He said that if he couldn't find a good home for the girl, he would bring her here. Although, from what I remember, he shouldn't have a problem finding a home for such a pretty young girl."  
Sango's Hiraikotsu came crashing down on Toto-sai's head. "You're even worse then this pervert!" she exclaimed, gesturing at Miroku. "At least he goes after women, and not little girls."  
Picking himself up off the ground, Toto-sai replied, "Well, I must be going now. Too bad I couldn't stay for dinner; best of luck to you all."  
As they watched the old man leave, a silent depression set in over the group. Shippo was the first to break it.  
"What does he mean they'll be back in a week or two? Why did Kagome have to go with him? Why didn't she say good bye? Why couldn't he have gone on his own?"  
Ignoring the kitsune's continuing tirade of questions, Sango turned to Miroku, "Do you think we should go after them?"  
"No," he replied, "I think it would be best to leave them to their task."  
"Then what should we do?"  
"Two options. First we search for more jewel fragments with out the aid of our allies. This is a dangerous option, as Inu Yasha is a powerful fighter, and Kagome is the only one who can sense the shards. Our other option would be to remain here, and await their return. This would afford us time to recover, and rest up."  
They both turned to look at the still babbling Shippo, and said, "The first option," and "Shall we start looking?"  
  
Inu Yasha wasn't sure how long he, they, had been stuck there. He had tried finding a way out, but no matter how fast or how long he ran, he couldn't shake the feeling that he hadn't moved at all. The worst part was that Kagome hadn't said anything to him since he told her to leave him alone. He could tell that she was still there; she seemed to be a small angry spot in the back of his mind.  
He quickly suppressed the feelings and thoughts that sprung up when he thought about her, less she catch a few of them.  
But why should I be afraid if she finds out how I feel? he pondered.  
Because she'll laugh or make fun of you for your stupid feelings, replied a voice in his head. It wasn't Kagome; it was his own self doubt.  
But what if she feels the same as I do?  
Who could love something like you?  
But.  
You're a freak! Not a full human and not a full demon. You have no where to belong.  
I belong with Kagome.  
You would wish your cursed existence on another?  
No, I.  
Some one you claim to love? No wonder Kikyo hates you so much. But...yeah, I guess she does hate me, doesn't she?  
She has tried to take you to hell; I'd say that would be a clear indication that you're not her favorite person.  
You're right, who could love someone like me?  
No one!  
'I could,' Kagome interrupted, 'And I do!'  
Kagome?  
'Who else?'  
Like I would know, but Kagome.  
'Yeah?'  
Did you, uh, what did you mean when you said, "I could and I do!"?  
'I, um, ment that, uh, I love you, like a, uh, friend.'  
Oh, he couldn't stop the disappointment he felt from being transferred to Kagome.  
'I had to say something,' she continued, trying to hide her own true feelings. 'That little worm of doubt was ruining our best, and only hope of getting out of here.' She was so worried about Inu Yasha sensing her true feelings that she missed the disappointment evident in Inu Yasha's answer.  
Right, of course. That time, she didn't miss the feelings of depression coming form him.  
'What's wrong, Inu Yasha?' she gently probed him.  
Nothing! he snapped back.  
'Don't bother lying to me, I can see your true feelings,' she bluffed.  
Well, it's just that.  
  
"It was so nice of Kaede to watch Shippo for us," Miroku commented.  
"Yes, it was. Not that she really had a choice, we did kind of leave in a hurry," Sango retorted.  
Miroku just smirked, and took a sip of his tea. Glancing over the rim of his cup, the monk but couldn't help but to allow the smirk to broaden to a full smile. Gods, why does she affect me so? he questioned silently. I've never been so happy as I am when I'm with her. I wonder...  
"Uh, Miroku?" Sango said in a questioning voice, causing a break in his chain of thought. "Are you okay?"  
"Yes, I am fine, why do you ask?"  
Oh, it's nothing really. You just had a far off look on your face," and in your eyes, she finished silently.  
"I was just lost in thought, was all," he chuckled.  
"What were you thinking about?"  
"Oh, this and that. About our quest, and our group. Things of that nature."  
"Oh." she paused for a moment of consideration, "Yeah, this is all pretty unbelievable. To think that a demon exterminator, a hanyou, a time traveling reincarnated Miko, and a letch of a monk would end up in search of the same thing. If I wasn't part of this, I don't know that I would believe it."  
"Am I really that bad?" he asked, a sadness creeping into his eyes.  
"Huh?" she stalled, caught off guard by the question.  
"You referred to me as, 'a letch of a monk.' I was wondering if I was really that bad, and if that was really all you thought of me," he explained sadly.  
"I, well, uh, you, um, you see it's, uh." she sputtered. "I don't know, Miroku. I just don't know."  
"What is causing the trouble in the decision making process?"  
"Well, we've known each other for a year or so now, and I have come to trust you very much, Miroku."  
"But."  
"But I do not like the way that you grope me all the time!"  
"Well, would you like me to grope you differently then? I'm open to suggestions," he replied, being the biggest smart ass he could.  
"How about this," she whispered sweetly, moving closer to him. "STOP GROPING ME!" she yelled as loudly as she could. Everyone else in the tea house stopped their conversations and turned to look at the demon exterminator and monk. Sango shrunk back into herself, and tried as hard as she could to turn invisible. The owner came over and opened his mouth to speak to them.  
But before he could say anything, Miroku cut him off, "We were just about to leave. What do we owe for the tea?" The owner answered, and Miroku dug a few coins out of this change couch and pressed them into the man's hand. "We are sorry to have disturbed the peace of your establishment."  
The man muttered something under his breath and counted the money Miroku hand given him, noting that the monk had paid half again what was owed. Gesturing for Sango to follow, Miroku made is way out of the tea house.  
  
'You just thought what, Inu Yasha?' Kagome prompted the reluctant half demon.  
Well, you see, he started. Then he sighed, Just forget it. I have no way with words, I can't explain, I'll just end up fucking everything up, as usual.  
'No way, this is important. You aren't getting away that easily.'  
Feh, what are you going to do, annoy me for the rest of my life? He retorted angrily.  
'Sometimes you make me so mad, Inu Yasha...'  
Well you're not always the best of company either, bitch.  
'Oooh! That does it! Sit Boy!'  
He felt his whole body tense. When nothing else happened, he realized that the tensing was something that he had done, and he relaxed his muscles.  
'What the hell? Why didn't that work?'  
Feh, damned if I know. He reached his hand up to his neck, where the prayer beads normally were, only to find them missing. His swords and prayer beads weren't the only things missing. As he felt his chest, he noticed that the bandages were gone, and upon looking, he saw that there was no mark from the wounds he had received. What the fuck is going on here? Where IS here?  
'I don't know. But I don't think that our bodies are here with us.'  
What the hell is that supposed to mean?  
'I think that this is a trial of the mind, and that our bodies are somewhere else, probably with Toto-sai.'  
Well, that's just bloody wonderful. The crazy old coot has probably forgotten us and left our bodies somewhere.  
'Oh, I hope not!' When she said that, Inu Yasha felt a wave of concern wash over him. 'Inu-Inu Yasha?'  
What? he replied irritably.  
'It's just that, that I didn't think that you cared for me that much.'  
Realizing that there was no way out of this but the truth, Inu Yasha gave up his normal ruse. Why would I spend all of that time saving you if I didn't care about you, Kagome?  
'I always thought I was just your shard detector.'  
Kagome, I grew up on my own in the wilds. I am a very skilled hunter. I would have been able to hunt the shards down with out you. It would take longer, but I would have been able to do it.  
'Oh...'  
  
They had been walking in silence for the last half hour. Miroku hadn't said a word since they left the tea house, and it was driving Sango insane. She felt like a child that was expected to realize she had been misbehaving and apologize on her own. She would be damned if she would admit to that being all her fault.  
Ten minutes later, she sighed in defeat, and broke the silence, "Miroku?"  
He stopped walking and turned to face her, still not saying anything.  
"Miroku, I, I'm, damn it Miroku, say something!"  
"And what would you have me say?" he inquired quietly, locking her eyes with his.  
Slightly taken aback by his cool, calm, Sesshomaru-esc response, she replied hotly, "Something, anything! I'm not a child, damn it!"  
"That fact had not escaped my notice," he replied in that infuriatingly calm tone.  
"Then stop treading me like one!"  
"And why do you feel that I have been treating you like a child?"  
She paused before answering.  
But before she could say anything, he continued, "I have said nothing about the scene in the tea house."  
"That wasn't just my fault," she replied angrily.  
"I know that!" he replied forcibly, dropping the cool and calm from his voice. "I know that I'm also at fault for that. However, so are you, and thusly I didn't say anything!" Taking a deep breath, he let the emotion drain from his voice, and continued in his normal calm tone, "Now, if you're done, I would like to find someplace to sleep tonight." Turning on his heal, he continued up the path in search of shelter for the night.  
She paused for a moment to assimilate the information, and then ran to catch up, "Hey! Wait up, Miroku!"  
  
He felt restless. He had been so close to spilling everything to her. So close to telling her. Telling her that he loved her. He had stopped himself before he had fully tipped his hand.  
She was unhappy. She could tell that there was something he wasn't saying. She could tell it was important and that he was guarding it like his life depended on it remaining a secret. She could also tell that on some level he was unhappy about not sharing.  
'Inu Yasha, just tell me.'  
Tell you what?  
'Tell me what you are holding back.'  
What makes you think that I'm holding something back?  
'I can feel it. I can feel something struggling to get out. Something you want to say desperately, and yet something that frightens you to the point that you remain silent.'  
Feh, was his only reply.  
'Damn it! We're never going to get out of here until you open up and tell me what's going on!'  
Fine! You want to know what I'm thinking and feeling? Well, here it is, get ready because I'm not holding anything back, and you are going to go through all of it, was his overly emotional response.  
She couldn't help but to gasp as incredibly strong emotions washed over her. Anger, worry, love, hate, anguish, confidence, uncertainty, pride, scorn, more feelings then she could put names to. Through this storm of raging and conflicting emotions, a bright intensity burned at the center. It glowed with an almost pure light. It seemed to be the anchor that held everything together, but it was impure, and she could feel it threatening to fail and allow everything to come apart.  
He felt her.reach out was the only way he could describe the sensation, for the central force. Mentally, he cried in anguish, not wanting her to see what was there, but at the same time wanting it to be over with.  
She touched it, and her world went white. Slowly things around her materialized into images and sensations. She saw everything as though through Inu Yasha's eyes.  
His father, in full demon form, bleeding from many wounds and surrounded by the bodies of those who would dare to try and harm his family. Inu Yasha's mother, kneeling and weeping bitterly, shortly after his father's death. Then just a pair of graves, one recently dug, as he brushed dirt from his hands, a deep feeling of grief and remorse overcoming his senses.  
Next flashed a series of people and demons attacking and hurting him. Then Kikyo, and a sense of worried calm. First her trying to drive him away, then her admission, and the deep, but cautious, caring he felt for her. Never anything more then that cautious caring, even the one time they kissed. Next, she was exposed to the burning anger and feeling of betrayal when Naraku fooled them into attacking each other. A seething spite that seemed to consume him, and a much weaker pang of fear and regret.  
Kagome was surprised at what was next revealed to her. All that hate that had been directed at Kikyo, was now redirected at her. The next thing shown to her was his anger and surprise as she freed him from the tree, and broke the jewel. Then his irritation at having to have her tag along to put the jewel back together.  
She tried to pull out, to stop the images, but she couldn't. Then she heard a clear voice say, No! Not yet, you wanted to know, so you'll have to know it all.  
The images scrolled quickly, she was surprised to see that most of them were of her. Sometimes sleeping, sometimes smiling at him, sometimes angry, sometimes in danger, but she was even more shocked when she realized that the anger and the hate were gone. They had been replaced instead with care and something else.  
"Inu-Inu Yasha?'  
What? he answered tiredly.  
"Was that what I think it was?'  
That depends on what you thought it was.  
'Just, please, tell me,' her desperation to know readily evident.  
Sighing, he replied in a calm and even tone, I love you, Kagome. Before she could respond, they were interrupted.  
"YOU ARE NOW READY. YOU HAVE ONLY TO CHOOSE WHICH TRIAL YOU WISH TO TAKE FIRST, AND ENTER IT."  
Opening the eyes he hadn't realized he'd closed, he found Kagome standing next to him, radiating confidence. The figures were back, and before each, a glyph glowed in the floor. Before the figure with the Tetsusaiga glowed the glyph for death. Before the figure with the Tenseiga glowed the glyph for life.  
Kagome leaned close and whispered into his ear, "Good luck, Inu Yasha. I love you too."  
Smiling at her, he nodded his head and stepped forward, to stand atop his chosen glyph. A bright white light surrounded him, and he disappeared.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A/N: Okay kiddies, thanks for reading. I wish that more of you would review my story, because I'm flying pretty much blind here, with a few exceptions. Chapter seven will be even longer in coming then this one, mostly because I'm suffering form a bit of a block on what I want to happen next. So, I'll be working on a challenge fic called, "Revelations of the Past." I got the challenge at an IY board I post to. That's going to probably be a one shot, and I should have it done by the end of February, 2004. Anyway, thanks so much for reading, I hope you've enjoyed it. 


	7. Chapter 7: Passions of the Body and Soul

A/N: Well, here we are again, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Thank you to my Beta readers, Kaz Black_Phoenix, and Tyrael, who always do a wonderful job. Also, thank you to everyone who is reviewing. I really appreciate the feed back, and frequently you'll find your suggestions in my chapters. A warning though, this chapter does make reference to sexual relations, but it does not graphically explain them. Now, on with the story. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The Call of Life and Death Chapter 7: Passions of the Body and Soul  
  
They found shelter in a small hut on the roadside; it was obvious that the shack was meant to be used by travelers, though they were the only ones currently in residence. The stack of firewood was rather depleted, so Miroku had gone out to gather some before the ominous clouds above opened up and released the storm they were holding.  
As he picked up another fallen branch, Miroku felt a couple of drops of moisture land on the back of his neck. Adding the branch to the pile already in his arms, he sighed and made his way back to the hut. Pushing the door open quietly, he found Sango kneeling with her back to the door.  
She was bent over, blowing on the small fire she had going. This position caused her kimono to be pulled tight across certain curves, giving Miroku a view that caused his hand to twitch forward to caress them. Instead, he pulled it back and loudly cleared his throat to alert her to his presence.  
As soon as she heard him, she straightened and spun to face him, her cheeks reddening slightly. "How long have you been standing there?" she demanded suspiciously.  
Ignoring her question, he stepped into the hut and closed the door. "I collected as much firewood as I could before the storm broke." Then, almost as if on cue, there was the rumble of thunder, and the sound of large drops landing on the roof. "It should be enough to last the night, and maybe enough to cook on in the morning."  
He dropped the wood he was carrying in a stack near the fire, and sat down on the floor next to Sango. She immediately moved so the fire was between them, eyeing him like a dog she thought might be rabid. He sighed and rummaged through his travel pack for a roll to eat.  
  
~*~  
  
A baby's cry shattered the silence, and Inu Yasha opened his eyes. The sight of a familiar ceiling met them, and caused him a great deal of confusion.  
I know that ceiling, but from where? Sitting up, he found that he had been lying in a bed, and glanced around. I know this place. This is my parent's old room. What the hell am I doing here?  
'You live here stupid, where the hell else would you be?'  
But the village, and-  
His argument with himself was interrupted by an all too familiar voice, "It's your turn, Inu Yasha. I checked on the baby last time."  
"Ki-Kikyo?!" he exclaimed in surprise.  
"What's wrong, Inu Yasha?" the woman lying next to him asked groggily.  
"But you're, and I'm, and..." he sputtered.  
"But what?" she asked, irritation creeping into her voice, "Just go see what the baby needs."  
Shaking his head, the hanyou took a deep breath and got out of bed. Following the sound of the baby's cries, he navigated the dark room, managing to crack his shins on every piece of furniture he could, quietly cursing each time. When he arrived at the cradle, on the other side of the room, he reached in and hesitantly pulled the crying infant out. It was a little boy.  
He had his father's golden eyes, glowing slightly in the darkness, and his father's sliver hair. As he picked the child up, Inu Yasha could feel tiny claws, barely able to draw blood, dig into his arms. Shifting the boy, he held him in the crook of his arm, and gently rocked him.  
The little one's claws pulled out of his father's arms, and Inu Yasha was surprised to find his own chest rumbling in a soothing manner. Am I purring? I didn't know I could do that. He almost jumped out of his skin when he felt hands on his shoulders and a woman's body pressing against his back.  
"He takes after his father," Kikyo said from behind him.  
"Yeah, but Lia has her mother's kind heart," he replied automatically. Where the hell did that come from? Who's Lia? Kikyo's kind heart? But she killed me, and-  
"Here, let me take him," she instructed, reaching for his son. He turned away, and growled slightly at her. Pulling her hands back, she allowed worry to wash over her features. "What's wrong? Inu Yasha, you, you're scaring me."  
Before he could reply, his sensitive ears picked up the sound of a door crashing to the ground. Scenting the air, he found it heavily laced with Kikyo's worry, fear, death, and unadulterated hate. Handing the child to its mother, Inu Yasha looked around their room.  
"What's wrong now?"  
"There's someone in the castle; someone not friendly. Where the hell is my sword?" he demanded.  
"Your sword? Inu Yasha, you don't have a sword."  
"The Tetsusaiga woman, where is it?" he shouted, grabbing her arms.  
"I don't know what you're talking about! Let go, Inu Yasha, you're hurting me and frightening the baby!"  
Releasing her arms, he turned to face the door. "Stay here, Kikyo, and keep the boy quiet. I'm going to go get Lia and bring her back here." With that said, he slipped out of the door noiselessly.  
He crept along the wall of the corridor, and stopped as he reached the door to his old room. This isn't the right one; this is to be the boy's room. He thought to himself. The next one, Sesshomaru's old room, that's where the girl will be.  
When he reached the room in question, he reached his hand out for the door knob, and froze as he noticed it was slightly ajar. Sniffing the air, he could smell that there was someone else in the room with Lia.  
The scent was strangely familiar; it was almost his scent, only more powerful, stronger smelling. His blood ran cold as he matched a face to the scent. Sesshomaru!  
He couldn't tell if his half brother's flunky was anywhere nearby, but he wasn't worried about it. Kikyo is more then a match for that little freak. Hell, Kagome can beat him up with out a problem. Kagome, who's Kagome?  
He pushed those thoughts out of his mind and turned to go back to the room he shared with Kikyo, sure that if Sesshomaru was going to harm or kill Lia, he would have already done so. Before he could take a step, his brother's voice halted him.  
"I know you're out there Inu Yasha. I think you should come in and join us for a little chat." Inu Yasha's heart almost stopped when he heard the icy tone of Sesshomaru's voice.  
Pushing the door open, he stepped from the dark of the hallway, into the relative bright of the lamp lit room, causing him to squint. When his eyes had adjusted, they fell upon a more horrifying sight. Sesshomaru was sitting on the room's only bed, with a small girl of about three or four sitting on his lap. He held her hands in her lap with one hand, while the other held her jaw, with the index and middle fingers pressed against her neck.  
"That's close enough, brother," the full demon said, spitting the last word out as though it left a bad taste in his mouth.  
"If you hurt her, you sick bastard...," the half demon growled at the intruder.  
"Really, Inu Yasha, such language in front of a child," Sesshomaru scolded.  
At mention of the child, Inu Yasha studied her a little more closely. Her long black hair was slightly rumpled, and her two triangular ears were pressed flat against the top of her head. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and her chest was rising and falling very quickly. A low whining sound was coming from her throat, causing the hairs on the back of Inu Yasha's neck to rise. When she opened her tear filled blue eyes, he felt his heart lurch.  
As he saw them a whole lifetime of memories crashed on him. He could remember what a surprise her eyes had been. Neither he nor Kikyo had blue eyes, and they were so unusual. He remembered his wedding, and his bride...Kikyo. How the Shikon had failed to turn him human. Kikyo wasn't happy about that, but she came around eventually.  
He shook his head, trying to clear these new, conflicting memories from his mind. I still remember the arrow piercing my chest, pinning me to the tree. I remember Kagome...  
"Inu Yasha!" Sesshomaru said, forcing the hanyou from his thoughtful reprieve.  
"What?" he replied irritably.  
"Do not get short with me. Now tell your bitch to stop lurking in the corridor, and that if she tries anything, this...abomination you two have created, will meet its end."  
"Kikyo, I thought I told you to stay in the room, go back there, now. I will see what Lia's dear uncle wants."  
"But," she replied from the hall.  
"Just go, now!" he commanded. His sensitive ears could pick up the sound of her going back down the hall, and the sound of the door closing behind her.  
"Now, do you know why I have come, Inu Yasha?"  
"Other then to terrify a small child, no I don't."  
"I've come for out father's tomb, and my birthright."  
"You were given Tenseiga. Tetsusaiga is mine, not that you'd be able to draw it anyway."  
"What do you mean by that?"  
"Take a long walk off a short cliff, Sesshomaru."  
Tightening the grip on Lia's neck, Sesshomaru stood, holding the child above the ground by her neck, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, you shouldn't be so rude when speaking with your betters, half breed."  
"Feh, you claim to be my better, yet here I find the great and powerful Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, sneaking into little girl's bedrooms at night, and threatening their lives, just to extract some information from a lowly hanyou. Oh yes, I can see how much better then me you are." The sarcasm dripping from Inu Yasha's voice brought a deep growl from his brother's throat.  
Baring his fangs at Inu Yasha, Sesshomaru tossed the girl aside. "Shall we continue this discussion outside?" Inu Yasha asked. Not waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel and walked from the room.  
Before he was five feet down the hall he heard the scream of a girl that was cut off into a gurgling sound.  
"Lia!" the word tore from his lips as he spun and dashed back into the room. Without thought, he lunged at Sesshomaru, who was smiling sadistically as the watched the girl drown in her own poisoned blood.  
His expression shifted from sick pleasure to a look of total surprise, as Inu Yasha cleaved the murder's head from his shoulders. Dropping to his knees, Inu Yasha picked up the girls shaking form, and cradled it against his chest, not caring about the blood that was covering him.  
Tears streamed unabashed down his cheeks, ash he helplessly watched the life slowly fade from his daughter's terrified eyes. When all light was gone from those blue orbs, he threw his head back and let a long, deep, mournful cry tear from his throat. The howl filled the castle, and echoed across the night covered land, where it was picked up by the wolves and wild dogs in the forest.  
It was as though the whole forest mourned Inu Yasha's loss with him. He heard a strangled wail, and knew Kikyo had come to investigate. She collapsed next to him, and pulled the girl's body from his arms. As she did this, a strange feeling washed over him.  
He felt numb. His tears dried, and he stood. He looked from the wailing woman at his feet and the lifeless body she held in her arms, to the corpse of his half brother. Bending down, Inu Yasha picked up his brother's head and held it before him with both hands.  
"What's wrong, Inu Yasha? Why do you no longer mourn for your child?" the head asked him.  
"It's not my child," he calmly replied.  
"What?" Kikyo demanded from the floor, between sobs of grief.  
"And you, you are not my wife. You killed me." he said to Kikyo.  
"What are you talking about Inu Yasha? I would never do anything to hurt you," she protested.  
He ignored her and considered the head in his hands again. "You, you are dead."  
"That is plainly evident little brother," it replied.  
"No, I mean that you are really dead. Jaken gave me your sword."  
"I have no sword."  
"You had two swords, but only one arm. I always found that a bit ironic."  
"You are delusional."  
"Well, I AM having a conversation with a severed head, so there is much evidence to support your claim."  
"Clearly you have been driven mad by the death of your daughter."  
"I already told you, she was not my daughter. This, none of this is real. This is all part of those trials."  
"Well, if this is a trial, then surely you have failed. The girl is dead, and you are talking to the severed head of someone who, by all accounts, is dead."  
"You were very clever, but your greatest mistake was her," he declared, pointing at the awestruck Kikyo. "If you were smart you would have known that she was the wrong incarnation."  
Inu Yasha dropped the head to the floor, as Kikyo jumped op and seized his arm. "Get away from me, wench," he yelled, pushing her away. She tripped and fell over backwards, looking up at him with nothing but fear in her eyes.  
Reaching his hands down to his left hip, he took hold of the hilt and scabbard of a sword. Drawing it in one smooth fluid motion, he held it before himself. The blade was as black as a moonless night.  
"Tenseiga," he uttered the word with a hushed reverence. Why did I draw this sword? Where is the Tetsusaiga? No matter, this should work just as well for my purposes.  
Turning to face where Kikyo was laying on the floor, he took hold of the hilt with both hands and brought it above his head. He felt a strange power rise in him. Slashing down, he expelled the power along the line of his cut, and watched as it washed over Kikyo, causing is entire field of vision to go white.  
  
~*~  
  
The storm pounded the little shack unmercifully, forcing rain in through the smoke vents. Miroku sighed and considered the girl huddled in the corner. Her clothes were dripping wet, and she was shivering. The small fire added very little warmth to the room.  
"Sango," Miroku started to say, only to be stopped by her glare. It was his fault she was soaking wet. He had made another pass at her, and she had been forced to flee the shelter, telling him with no uncertain words that he was to stay away from her. He had followed her, and physically restrained her, then carried her back.  
His reprieve was broken as the sound of chattering teeth reached his ears. Standing, he quickly removed his black and purple robe, leaving him with only his inner white one on.  
"Mi-Mi-Miroku," Sango chattered, "Wh-what are you doing?"  
"Relax," he instructed her, throwing his discarded garment at her, "And put that over you." Not looking to see if she complied with his command, he sat back down with his back to her.  
The water blowing through the smoke vents quickly absorbed into his robe, robbing it of any warmth it had. The monk stared intently into the dancing flames, and pushed the cold and wet away from his mind. He concentrated until he couldn't feel the water landing on him. Every muscle in his body tensed when he felt a light hand on his shoulder.  
Following the hand to the arm, and the arm up to the face, he found Sango kneeling behind him with a soft look in her eyes, "Sango?" he whispered.  
Shaking her head, she sat next to him and wrapped the robe around both of them. Resting her head on his shoulder, she sighed contently. The damp clothing transferred heat rapidly, and before long both were pleasantly warm and relaxed.  
Their breathing fell into an easy rhythm with one another. Yawning deeply, Miroku glanced down at his travel companion from the corner of his eye. The sight that greeted him made him smile warmly. Sango was dozing on his shoulder, her face and body totally relaxed and at peace. Slipping his arm around her, he pulled her closer to him, feeling her snuggle against his warm body in her sleep.  
Yawning again, he twisted his body so he was laying behind her with them both facing the fire, and the robe pulled over them. Closing his eyes, he could only think of how right it felt to have them lying like that before sleep claimed him.  
  
~*~  
  
When the light dissipated, Inu Yasha dropped his arm from where he had been holding it over his eyes. Opening those eyes, he looked around, and surveyed his surroundings. The castle was gone, Lia was gone, Sesshomaru was gone, and Kikyo was gone.  
Inu Yasha was standing alone in a flat, endless black. The floor was of polished onyx, reflecting his image like a black mirror, while the sky was as if made of obsidian. In his right hand he still held the sword of life, its black blade glowing a deep blue.  
"Inu Yasha," two women's voices called to the hanyou. Spinning, he found Kikyo and Kagome standing next to one another, looking at him.  
"Yori ," another voice called. As the words reached him he was struck by an image of a proud man who looked much like he did when he was human. Turning, he found another woman with raven hair and deep brown eyes looking back at him.  
"Kenji," a forth voice, belonging to a woman who also looked like she could be Kikyo or Kagome's twin. "Isamu." "Kenshin."  
A sixth and seventh name was announced, and more women, sometimes two, sometimes only one would appear with each name. A ninth and tenth name, each brining images of someone who looked so much like Inu Yasha and yet wasn't. Each face hinting at memories. More and more names and faces, they bombarded Inu Yasha. He lost count of how many called out names, his names he realized. Then they stopped.  
One woman stepped forward and knelt down before the confused hanyou. Taking his hands in her own, she helped him to his feet. He wasn't sure why, but he had the feeling that she was the first.  
"We are one, and we are many," she cryptically informed him. "By what name does our soul mate call himself now?"  
"Inu Yasha," Kikyo and Kagome replied together.  
"Long are the lives of demons," the first observed.  
"Wha-what is this? Who are you?" Inu Yasha demanded, spinning to see all the woman surrounding him. "Why do I know all of you? Why does every face here remind me of another face, my own face?"  
"Because, my love, what you see before you are all the incarnations of a single soul. A single soul to which yours is tied to with bonds of love, for all eternity," she explained. "Whom do you love?"  
"I love..." he trailed off, falling to his knees and clutching his head as though it was going to explode. Names danced through his head, Kagome, Kikyo, Arisu, Chikako, Junko, more and more. All of them the same woman, but all of them different. He loved them all, and yet loved them only one at a time. "You-your name is Naomi."  
"It's okay love, we know the answer. However, there is a problem. Something is playing with our soul," Naomi explained.  
"I am supposed to be dead, Inu Yasha. And yet I walk the Earth. A fragment of my soul left, and a shadow of what I once was," Kikyo said.  
"We are supposed to be together. I defy time itself to be with you," Kagome's voice replaced Kikyo's and was as a soothing balm on his ears and mind.  
"Inu Yasha, our eternal love, our soul's own mate, you must fix this problem," Naomi told him.  
"H-how?" he inquired hesitantly.  
"With that," she replied, pointing at the sword in his hand. "Only with the sword of life, will you be able to destroy that unholy golem, and not harm the soul inside."  
"I-I don't know if I could do that."  
"Please, Inu Yasha, if any of our time together meant anything, please lay that sick parody of me to rest," Kikyo begged him.  
"But Kikyo," he protested.  
"Then do it for us, Inu Yasha. Do it so we might be together," Kagome pleaded.  
"I-I will. I will try," he said at last.  
"You must more then try, love, you must do," Naomi insisted.  
"I don't know if I could hurt you like that."  
"It wouldn't be hurting us, it would be helping us. The way things are now, that's what hurts us."  
"Please, Inu Yasha, lay me to rest," Kikyo asked, pleading with her eyes. "That is not me, though it wears my face and body, it is not me. I am Kagome now, you must understand that. While Kagome and I are different people, we are also the same."  
"You cannot betray one by loving the other," Kagome cut in.  
"Unless one is not truly herself," Naomi amended. "You will be able to do it Love, you have great strength and determination, all you lacked before was a sense of direction, and now you have that."  
As he felt his determination rising, Inu Yasha noticed that the women around him had started to fade. Kikyo reached out a ghostly hand, and caressed the side of his face while she mouthed, 'Goodbye.' He closed his eyes, and for the first time in a great while, he truly felt at peace.  
  
~*~  
  
Dawn found Sango and Miroku asleep on the floor of the shelter. She lay in front of him with her back to his chest. One of his arms rested under her head, acting as a pillow, while the other was draped protectively around her waist.  
Yawning, Sango sat up, drawing the makeshift blanket with her. She looked down at Miroku and couldn't help to but blush and smile. He was sleeping so peacefully, she reached down to push a strand of hair out of his face.  
Holding the cloth to cover herself, she looked around and tried to remember where her clothing had been thrown the night before. Her face burned with the memory.  
  
She had woken sometime in the night to find Miroku lying next to her, studying her sleeping face. She was surprised at his proximity, but didn't pull away.  
  
Finding her cat suit, she pulled it on, and quietly left the shack. The morning sun was just breaking over the horizon, and the whole land looked refreshed. She set out in search of some breakfast.  
  
He had a very serious expression on his face. Her breathing became quick, and her heart pounded as he hesitantly reached his hand up to her face, upping her chin. She let her eyes slide shut as his lips found hers.  
  
Finding a nearby stream, she went about catching a couple of fish for breakfast. When she had three of them, she wrapped them in leaves, and started the walk back to their shelter.  
  
His lips were surprising tender, and yet rough at the same time. Their first kiss was brief and chaste. When their lips parted, she opened her eyes to find a pair of violet ones looking back at her from only inches away. He started to speak, but she silenced him with another kiss.  
  
Back at the hut, she stoked the coals from the previous night's fire and added some wood she had collected on her way back. Content that the fire was going, she took a pot outside to fill it from the rain barrel.  
  
She broke the second kiss and looked deep into his eyes. They were full of passion, deep caring, and a little uncertainty. She whispered a single word to him, "yes," and saw the uncertainty vanish. He kissed her again, and they each reached for the fasteners on the other's clothing.  
  
When she had cleaned the fish, she mixed them with some roots and herbs she had found, in the pot and put it on the fire. Looking over at the still sleeping monk, she noticed he was still smiling, and her blush was renewed.  
  
Everything had been new and strange for her. He had guided her through the most ancient of dances, with skill and grace that spoke of experience. The thought that she wasn't his first bothered her a little, but in the end she was happier that he had known what he was doing. He had taken her body to heights she had never dreamed possible, her entire body exploding in pure bliss.  
  
Miroku rolled over and grumbled in his sleep. Reaching over, she shook his shoulder and woke him. Rolling back, he smiled up at her and sleepily said, "Hey you."  
Smiling back she replied, "Good morning."  
The monk sat up and stretched. The makeshift blanket had fallen into a pool in his lap, baring his chest. Blushing, Sango turned her back to him and tended to the stew she was making.  
She jumped slightly when he hugged her from behind, and said, "Smells good, what's cooking?"  
The demon exterminator indignantly scolded the naked man, "Go put some clothes on, you fool!"  
Kissing her on the cheek, he replied, "Whatever you say, dear." Her face went crimson again, and she suspected that her blush would never fade at this rate. Fully clothed, he sat next to his lover and took the offered bowl of fish stew.  
He dug in hungrily and quickly devoured the meal. Sango, on the other hand, didn't touch hers. "What's wrong Sango?" Miroku asked, after noticing her lack of appetite. "The stew is wonderful, and you could use a meal after the workout we got last night."  
"Miroku!" she exclaimed loudly, slapping him across the face. Then, more quietly, she continued, "About last night, I mean, what does this mean, what if I'm pregnant?" she demanded, seizing the monk by the front of his robe.  
"Well, my dearest Sango, allow me to put some of your fears to rest," he calmly replied, while trying to pry her fingers from his clothing. "First, it normally takes a lot more then just one night to get a woman pregnant. Second, we really don't have to worry about that. Now isn't a time when you are able to become pregnant."  
Re-gripping his robe, she shook him and yelled, "And how the hell would you know that?!"  
"Well," be began, giving her his best innocent face, "I kind of heard Inu Yasha complaining about how you and Kagome are on the same cycle and how he drives her nuts because of the way it affects him. Since then I've noticed when the two of them seem overly irate toward each other, and I've kept track of which week each month it happens in."  
"Why the hell would you do that?" she screamed, shaking him again.  
"Just in case; I always try to be prepared for anything." She sighed and let him fall backward to the floor. Well, she more pushed him then let him fall. "However," he continued from the floor, "I love you, and hope that this will only serve to strengthen the bond between us."  
She eyed him queerly and leaned in close, so their faces were only inches apart. "Do you mean that?" She studied his eyes as he answered.  
His eyes were calm, and nigh emotionless, as he replied in a very serious tone, "I wouldn't joke about something like that. I mean it with every fiber of my being," and closed the space between their faces, catching her soft lips with his own.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: The meaning behind the names: Male: Female: Inu Yasha-dog demon Kikyo-bell flower Yori-dependence Kagome-woven bamboo pattern Kenji-strong second son Aki-autumn or bright Isamu-bravery Chikako-child of wisdom Kenshin-sword heart Junko-pure child  
Naomi-above all, beauty  
  
Frequently Asked Questions: Q: Why does it take so long for you to get a chapter out? A: I'm currently finishing up my sophomore year as an Information Technology major in College. That means that my school work takes precedence over this story (Sorry, but something that I'm paying $27,000.00 a year to do gets dibs on my attention).  
  
Q: What happened to Rin? A: I don't know, and I don't really care. She lived happily ever after, and had nothing to do with this story.  
  
Q: Why did you kill off Sesshomaru? A: So that Inu Yasha could get the Tenseiga  
  
Q: How old are you? A: 20  
  
Q: How long is this story going to be? A: Right now I'm thinking that it's going to be about ten chapters long. I know where I want to take the story; it's just a matter of getting there.  
  
Q: What is a 'beta reader'? A: A beta reader is someone who reads the author's rough draft and finds the grammatical errors and spelling errors before the story is posted. They also check to make sure that everything in the story makes sense, and doesn't conflict with anything that's already happened.  
  
Q: How can I contact you? A: Email me at arcainfire@yahoo.com, or I post at Inuyasha's Corner () under the name "ArcaneFire."  
  
Q: Are there going to be any lemons? A: Not likely. What you got in this chapter is the closest that it's going to get. Sexual relations are part of adult relationships, but I do not see the need to turn my story into pornography. If you want that, you obviously have internet access, so I recommend that you go find that else where.  
  
Any other comments/questions, you know how to reach me. 


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